£\hvwy  of  Che  t:heolo0(cal  ^tminaxy 

PRINCETON    •    NEW  JERSEY 
PRESENTED  BY 

Hamlll  Missionary  Fund 

~BV~3265  7h65  1901 

Holcomb,  Helen  H.  b.  1836. 
Men  of  might  in  India 
missions 


MEN  OF  MIGHT 

IN 

INDIA    MISSIONS 


MEN  OF  MIGHT 

IN 

INDIA  MISSIONS 

The  Leaders  and  Their  Epochs 
1706-1899 

By  HELEN  H.  HOLCOMB 

AUTHOR  OF 

^^ Mabel's  Summers  in  the  Himalayas  "  ^'•Bits  About  India  " 
FULLY  ILLUSTRATED 


NEW    YORK  CHICAGO  TORONTO 

FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 
1901 


Copyright  1901 

by 

FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 

(September) 


DEDICATION 

To  the  young  men  and  maidens  whose  hearts 
God  has  touched,  and  who  in  life's  fair  morning, 
looking  out  over  the  world's  great  harvest-Held, 
are  asking,  "  Lord,  zvhat  wilt  thou  have  me  to 
do?"  this  volume  is  dedicated  with  the  prayer 
that  some  of  those  who  read  these  pages,  hearing 
the  voice  of  the  Lord  saying  as  He  did  to  His 
prophet  Isaiah,  "  Whom  shall  I  send,  and  who 
will  go  for  us?"  may  answer  as  did  the  prophet, 
"  Here  am  I;  send  me." 


Among  the  books  which  have  been  consulted  and 
from  which  aid  has  been  received,  are  the  following: 

Fenger's  History  of  the  Tranquebar  Mission ;  The  Land 
of  the  Tamulians  and  its  Missions,  by  the  Rev.  E.  R. 
Baierlein;  Letters  of  Ziegenbalg and  Pliitschau;  Pearson's 
Life  of  Schwartz;  Life  and  Times  of  Carey,  Marsh- 
man  and  Ward,  by  John  Clark  Marshman ;  Christianity 
in  India,  by  the  Rev.  J.  Hough;  Life  of  William 
Carey,  Life  of  Alexander  Duff,  Life  of  John  Wilson, 
Life  of  Henry  Martyn,  by  George  Smith,  CLE.,  LL.D. ; 
Memoir  of  Henry  Martyn,  by  the  Rev.  John  Sargent; 
Life  of  Gordon  Hall,  by  the  Rev.  Horatio  Bardwell ;  Life 
of  Charles  T.  E.  Rhenius,  by  his  son;  The  Tinnevelly 
Mission,  by  the  Rev.  G.  Pettitt;  Life  of  the  Rev.  John 
Scudder,  by  the  Rev.  J.  B.  Waterbury,  D.D. ;  True 
Yoke-Fellows  in  the  Mission  Field:  being  the  Life 
and  Labours  of  the  Rev.  John  Anderson  and  the  Rev. 
Robert  Johnston,  by  the  Rev.  J.  Braidwood ;  Memoir  of 
the  Rev.  R.  T.  Noble,  by  has  brother,  the  Rev.  John 
Noble.  To  the  very  interesting  sketch  by  the  Rev.  S.  A. 
Gayley,  the  writer  is  indebted  for  the  facts  connected 
with  the  early  years  of  the  Rev.  Isidor  Loewenthal,  and 
of  his  life  in  America  after  his  arrival  in  that  country. 
From  the  reports  sent  by  Mr.  Loewenthal  to  the  Mission 
Board  in  America,  have  been  gleaned  all  that  relates  to 
his  life  and  work  as  a  missionary  in  India. 


CONTENTS 

PAGI 

I.  Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg.     1706-1719.    .        .     13 
•II.  Christian  Frederick  Schwartz.     1750-1798  .        39 
ill.  William  Carey,  Joshua  Marshman  and  Will- 
iam Ward.     1 793-1 837 65 

IV.#Henry  Martyn.     1 806-1 81 2 97 

V.  Jjordon  Hall.     1812-1826.  .        .        .        .125 

VI.  Charles  T.  E.  Rhenius.     1814-1838.      .        .      150 

VII.  John  Scudder.     1819-1855 167 

VIII.  John  Wilson.     1829-1875 190 

;,  IX,  Alexander  Duff.     1830-1863 213 

X.  John  Anderson.     1837-1855.  .        ,        .      240 

XI.  Robert  T.  Noble.    1841-1865 267 

XII.  Isidor  Loewenthal.    1855- 1864.      .        .        .      292 

XIII.  Samuel  H.  Kellogg.     1864- 1899.      .        .        .320 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

FACING   PAGE 

The  Pioneers Frontispiece 

Fortress  at  Tranquebar      .        .        .        .        .        .26 

Rock  at  Trichinopoly 46 

Christ  Church,  Tan j ore      .        .        .        r       .        .      62 
Serampore  College      .        .        .        .        .        .        .88 

A  Group  of  Veterans 106 

John  3 :  16  in  India  Languages 138 

Village  Temple 158 

Carrying  Grain  to  Market 176 

Malabar  Hill 208 

Duff  College 229 

A  Busy  Village  Street 248 

Anderson  Hall 264 

Noble  Memorial 288 

Fort  Jumrood 302 

Dr.  Kellogg  and  his  Pundit 338 


INTRODUCTION 

Those  lives  which  have  been  distinguished  for 
eminent  usefulness  in  connection  with  Missions 
in  any  part  of  the  world,  when  truly  sketched, 
are,  aside  from  the  history  with  which  they  are 
associated,  highly  entertaining  and  edifying.  The 
interest  we  feel  in  such  biographies  is,  however, 
greatly  enhanced  when  the  influence  which  they 
individually  exerted  upon  other  workers  is  clearly 
traced,  and  when  the  links  connecting  their  indi- 
vidual services  are  shown.  Especially  interesting 
and  instructive,  in  this  point  of  view,  is  the  earlier 
history  of  missionary  work  in  India.  To  trace 
these  historical  connections  from  the  beginning 
to  the  times  of  the  great  Serampore  men,  and 
of  that  other  distinguished  trio — Wilson,  Duff  and 
Anderson — at  Bombay,  Calcutta  and  Madras  re- 
spectively, has  been  one  object  of  this  book. 

Grand  as  that  beginning  was  which  Bartholo- 
mew Ziegenbalg,  aided  by  his  devoted  coadjutor, 
John  Ernest  Grundler,  made  at  Tranquebar,  in 
spite  of  difficulties  which  to  men  of  another  mould 
than  his  would  doubtless  have  appeared  insur- 
mountable, the  results  of  the  efforts  which  he  put 
forth  so  strenuously  during  the  twelve  and  a  half 
years  of  missionary  service  which  brought  his  life 
7 


3  Introduction 

to  a  close,  might  as  to  fruits  which  should  follow 
them,  have  counted  for  nothing,  and  might  soon 
have  passed  into  oblivion,  had  not  the  God  of  Mis- 
sions raised  up  other  men  of  like  devotion  to  per- 
petuate the  work  so  well  begun  by  him,  and  had 
not  his  influence  upon  others  been  such  as  to  in- 
cline them  zealously  to  follow  in  his  steps. 

Truly  the  way  in  which  India's  evangelisation 
under  Protestant  auspices  commenced  showed 
clearly  that  God  intended  India  to  be  evangelised. 

The  next  epoch-making  missionary  sent  out 
from  Halle  to  the  Danish  Mission  at  Tranquebar 
was  Christian  Frederick  Schwartz.  Although  not 
born  until  seven  years  after  Ziegenbalg's  death, 
the  influence  of  Ziegenbalg  still  survived  to  incline 
him  to  dedicate  his  life  to  the  missionary  work. 
The  link  connecting  Ziegenbalg  and  Schwartz 
was  Schultz,  selected  by  Grundler,  whose  mission- 
ary career,  like  that  of  Ziegenbalg,  was  early 
closed,  and  who  survived  his  fellow-labourer  but 
little  more  than  a  year.  Schultz  took  up  the  work 
of  translating  the  Scriptures  where  Ziegenbalg 
had  left  it,  and  returning  to  Europe  to  Halle  to 
superintend  the  printing  of  a  new  edition  of  the 
Bible  in  Tamil,  became  acquainted  with  young 
Schwartz,  a  student  living  in  Professor  Francke's 
orphan  house,  where  the  returned  missionary  had 
found  a  lodging.  His  unusual  aptitude  for  lin- 
guistic studies,  attracted  the  attention  of  Schultz, 
who  easily  persuaded  him  to  acquire  a  sufficient 
knowledge  of  Tamil  to  qualify  him  to  render  some 


Introduction  9 

needed  assistance  in  correcting  the  printing  of  the 
Bible  for  India,  and  when  Francke  made  inquiries 
for  new  men  for  India,  Schwartz  was  easily  per- 
suaded to  go. 

We  must  now  note  the  connection  between  the 
Tranquebar  Mission  and  the  work  of  Carey  and 
his  coadjutors.  But  for  the  work  inaugurated  at 
Tranquebar  by  the  Danish  King,  Frederick  the 
Fourth,  Carey  would  not  have  been  able  to  obtain 
any  foothold  in  Bengal.  Never  was  dynamiter 
more  closely  w^atched  than  was  the  first  English 
missionary  by  the  English  East  India  Company. 
But  God's  purpose  could  not  be  thwarted.  He 
had  prepared  beforehand  a  refuge  for  His  servant, 
and  so  when  he  was  forced  to  flee  from  the  threats 
of  his  own  countrymen  who  refused  to  give  him 
any  sort  of  shelter  under  the  British  flag,  he  found 
sympathy  and  success  at  the  Danish  settlement  of 
Serampore,  sixteen  miles  by  river  from  Calcutta, 
where  the  Danish  governor  Col.  Bie,  assured  him 
of  his  friendship  and  the  protection  of  his  Gov- 
ernment. Following  upon  this  reception  and  a 
correspondence  with  the  Court  of  Copenhagen, 
came  a  stringent  command  to  Col.  Bie.  Thus 
were  Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  led  to  settle 
at  Serampore,  which  on  account  of  what  these 
"  men  of  might "  accomplished  there  will  ever  be 
regarded  by  those  interested  in  missions  as  one 
of  the  most  sacred  spots  in  India. 

But  why  was  Col.  Bie  so  deeply  interested  in 
these  servants  of  God?    During  the  earlier  years 


lo  Introduction 

of  his  service — perhaps  at  old  Tranquebar — ^he 
had  come  under  Schwartz's  influence,  had  received 
great  good  through  him,  and  ever  after  had 
counted  it  one  of  the  great  privileges  of  his  life 
to  have  enjoyed  the  delightfully  evangelical  min- 
istrations of  this  good  and  great  man.  Thus  the 
seed  sown  in  that  early  Tamil  Mission  bore  fruit 
for  the  Serampore  work. 

So  too  who  that  has  eyes  to  see  can  fail  to  ob-. 
serve  the  wonder-working  providence  of  God  in 
bringing  together  at  Serampore  five  such  men  as 
William  Carey,  Joshua  Marshman,  William 
Ward,  Henry  Martyn  and  David  Brown?  Eccle- 
siastically two  of  them  were  widely  separated  from 
the  other  three  !  Yet  united  in  heart,  all  alike  were 
consumed  with  zeal  for  the  evangelisation  of  the 
people  of  India,  how  they  prayed  together,  and 
how  they  worked!  With  what  devoted  energy 
they  gave  themselves  unitedly  to  the  gigantic 
work  of  preparing  translations  of  the  Word  of 
God  in  the  various  vernaculars  of  the  people 
among  whom  their  lot  was  cast,  and  versions  for 
the  heathen  of  other  lands  besides!  How  vast 
their  designs,  how  amazing  their  endeavours,  and 
how  wonderful  their  accomplishments!  With 
such  men,  and  others  in  whole-hearted  sympathy 
with  them,  like  the  godly  Danish  governor  of 
Serampore,  Dr.  Claudius  Buchanan  across  the 
river  at  Barrackpore,  Wilberforce  and  the  Grants 
— father  and  son — in  the  British  Parliament,  all 
uniting  in  prayer  with  many  in  Britain  to  en- 


Introduction  ii 

sure  the  removal  from  the  British  nation  of  a 
great  reproach,  is  it  surprising  that  the  year  1 813, 
when  the  charter  of  the  East  India  Company  was 
again  renewed,  should  be  made  forever  memor- 
able in  the  annals  of  Protestant  missions  for  the 
emancipation  of  British  India,  by  the  withdrawal 
of  the  prohibition  to  give  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  its  perishing  millions?  Truly  the  men 
of  that  time  were  epoch-making  men. 

That  same  momentous  decision  which  removed 
the  bands  from  the  Serampore  company  opened 
the  doors  of  Bombay  and  West  India  to  Gordon 
Hall,  the  worthy  leader  of  the  great  body  of 
American  Missionaries  in  that  land.  It  also  made 
South  India  accessible  to  Charles  E.  T.  Rhenius 
and  John  Scudder,  the  one  preserving  the  con- 
tinuity of  the  labours  of  Ziegenbalg  and  Schwartz 
while  the  other  and  his  seven  missionary  sons 
performed  a  service  not  measured  only  by  the 
foreign  field  where  they  laboured. 

Following  close  upon  these  came  those  human 
exemplars  of  what  educational  work  as  an  evan- 
gelising agency  can  do  for  India — John  Wilson, 
Alexander  Duff,  John  Anderson  and  Robert  T. 
Noble.  No  better  missionary  work  has  ever  been 
done  in  India  than  these  men  did,  and  great  was 
their  reward. 

Says  Dr.  W.  Fleming  Stevenson,  in  his  little 
book, ''  The  Dawn  of  the  Modern  Mission,"  ''  The 
distinguished  biographer  of  Dr.  Duff  has  linked 
the  first  Protestant  Mission  in  India  with  our 


12  Introduction 

own  time,  for  he  tells  us  that  it  was  only  six 
years  after  Ziegenbalg  sailed  for  India  that  Kier- 
nander  was  born,  and  when  he  was  eighty-three, 
he  received  a  visit  from  Carey,  who  records  the 
fresh  ardour  he  derived  from  the  still  burning 
fire  of  the  aged  saint,  as  he  waited  quietly  by  the 
Ganges  for  the  summons  of  his  Lord,  and  how 
three  years  before  Carey  died,  a  young  High- 
lander sprang  out  of  his  boat  at  Serampore,  and 
turning  into  the  study  of  the  mission  house,  saw 
what  seemed  to  be  a  little,  shrivelled  old  man  in 
a  white  jacket,  who,  when  he  heard  the  name, 
rose  from  his  book,  tottered  to  meet  his  visitor, 
and  stretching  out  his  arms,  solemnly  blessed 
him." 

It  derogates  nought  from  the  meed  which  Alex- 
ander Duff's  name  deserves,  to  say  that  not  less 
significant  of  a  splendid  missionary  career  would 
that  benediction  in  after  years  appear  to  have  been, 
if  it  had  been  bestowed  upon  either  of  those  con- 
temporaries of  Duff — John  Wilson,  John  Ander- 
son, or  Robert  Turlington  Noble. 

No  sketches  of  lives  devoted  to  God's  work  in 
India  are  more  worthy  to  be  included  in  this 
volume  than  those  of  Isidor  Loewenthal  and 
Samuel  Henry  Kellogg,  for  they  were  distinct- 
ively "  men  of  might  "  as  missionaries.  Dis- 
tinguished for  talents  of  the  highest  order,  their 
great  abilities  were  put  to  highest  use  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  that  cause  to  which  their  lives  had 
been  consecrated. 

James  Foote  Holcomb. 


I 

BARTHOLOMEW  ZIEGENBALG 

THE    BEGINNING    OF     PROTESTANT     MISSIONS     IN 
INDIA 

I706-I719 

Not  far  from  the  city  of  Dresden  is  the  little 
town  of  Pulsnitz.  It  lies  in  a  valley  surrounded 
by  green  meadows,  and  is  hemmed  round  by 
thick  forests.  On  the  24th  of  June,  1683,  in  one 
of  the  most  quiet  homes  in  this  green  valley,  a 
son  was  born.  The  parents,  Bartholomew  and 
Catherine  Ziegenbalg,  were  plain  people,  grave 
and  upright.  The  boy,  to  whom  was  given  his 
father's  name,  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of 
six.  The  circumstances  connected  with  the  death 
of  his  mother  were  graven  indelibly  on  his 
memory, 

'  Around  the  bedside  in  the  darkened  room  were 
gathered  the  weeping  children.  Raising  herself 
by  a  great  effort,  the  mother  in  a  feeble  voice 
said,  "  My  dear  children,  I  am  leaving  to  you  a 
great  treasure,  a  very  great  treasure." 
?  The  eldest  daughter,  bending  over  the  mother, 
said  in  tones  of  surprise,  "  A  treasure !  dear 
mother.     Where  is  that  treasure  ?  " 

"  Seek  it  in  the  Bible,"  the  dying  mother  re- 
13 


14      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

;  plied.  "  I  have  watered  every  page  with  my 
j   tears." 

The  boy  left  an  orphan  at  so  early  an  age, 
was  tenderly  cared  for  by  his  elder  sister,  who 
lavished  upon  the  delicate  child  almost  the  affec- 
tion of  a  mother. 

As  the  schools  in  his  native  town  were  poor, 
Bartholomew  was  early  sent  to  a  gram.mar  school 
in  a  neighbouring  town.  At  fourteen  years  of 
age,  he  entered  the  high  school  of  Gorlitz.  Pas- 
sionately fond  of  music,  he  naturally  sought  the 
companionship  of  those  possessed  of  a  kindred 
taste.  At  a  musical  class,  he  one  day  met  a 
student  older  than  himself  who  spoke  eloquently 
of  "  the  harmonies  of  spiritual  life  and  of  the 
harmony  between  God  and  man  which  had  been 
lost  by  the  fall  and  restored  by  Christ.  Only 
those  who  understand  this,"  said  he,  "  know  what 
music  really  is." 

This  apparently  accidental  meeting  was  the 
beginning  of  a  friendship  greatly  blessed  to  Zie- 
genbalg.  Every  day  the  two  friends  met  to- 
gether to  read  the  Scriptures  and  to  pray.  Now 
for  the  first  time  the  young  man  felt  that  he  fully 
understood  the  words  of  his  dying  mother.  The 
Bible  had  become  in  his  own  experience  a  very 
great  treasure. 

After  much  prayerful  consideration,  the  young 
student  resolved  to  devote  his  life  to  the  Gospel 
ministry.  To  help  in  fitting  him  for  his  chosen 
work,  after  visiting  several  universities,  he  de- 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  15 

cided  to  prosecute  his  studies  at  the  University  of 
Halle,  in  order  to  be  under  the  instruction  of 
Professor  August  Hermann  Francke.  He  en- 
tered this  University  in  1703  and  was  delighted 
to  find  himself  in  the  society  of  congenial  spirits. 
At  the  end  of  the  session,  the  health  of  the  enthu- 
siastic student  gave  way,  and  with  a  decline  of 
physical  strength,  the  thought  took  possession 
of  him  that  he  had  chosen  a  profession  for  which 
he  did  not  possess  the  necessary  gifts. 

In  his  perplexity,  feeling  the  need  of  counsel, 
he  carried  his  trouble  to  his  instructors.  Asso- 
ciated with  Prof.  Francke  in  the  University  was 
Dr.  Breithaupt,  a  man  of  great  wisdom. 

Ziegenbalg,  advised  to  weigh  well  the  question 
of  a  vocation  in  life,  suggested  "  Perhaps  some 
modest  place  might  be  found  for  me  where  fewer 
gifts  would  be  required  than  in  the  Gospel  min- 
istry." 

"  Requests  for  teachers  are  sent  to  Halle  from 
all  parts,"  answered  Dr.  Breithaupt,  "  and  we 
can  scarcely  supply  the  demand,  but  to  lead  one 
soul  from  among  the  heathen  to  God,  is  as  much, 
as  if  in  Europe,  one  brought  a  hundred,  for  here, 
the  means  and  opportunities  abound  and  there 
they  have  none." 

This  remark  made  a  deep  impression  at  the 
time  and  was  never  forgotten. 

Before  going  to  Halle,  Ziegenbalg  had  spent 
two  months  in  Berlin  with  great  advantage  and 
the  inspiration  of  Lange's  ripe  scholarship  and 


1 6      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

rare  gift  of  teaching  told  upon  him  for  life.  One 
session  only  was  spent  at  Halle,  as  the  state  of 
his  health  forbade  a  return  to  university  life. 
After  leaving  Halle  he  accepted  a  position  as 
tutor  in  the  town  of  Merseburg,  and  though  his 
stay  in  this  place  was  short,  he  ever  remembered 
with  gratitude  the  time  spent  there.  We  shall 
hear  of  one  of  his  pupils  again. 

To  Erfurt  he  went  from  Merseburg  and  here 
a  wide  field  of  usefulness  seemed  opening  before 
him,  when  he  was  laid  aside  by  illness.  The  in- 
valid now  found,  as  he  had  on  previous  occasions, 
an  asylum  in  the  hospitable  home  of  his  elder 
sister,  where  a  year  was  spent.  On  his  recovery, 
Ziegenbalg  was  invited  to  go  to  Werder,  twenty 
miles  from  Berlin,  to  take  charge  of  a  parish  for 
two  months  during  the  absence  of  the  pastor. 
Gladly  he  accepted  the  invitation  and  while  in 
temporary  charge  of  this  field,  there  came  to  him 
the  Master's  call  to  enter  upon  the  supreme  work 
of  his  life. 

In  the  year  1612  the  Danes  had  established  at 
Copenhagen,  a  company  with  a  view  to  embark 
in  commerce  with  India.  The  first  vessel  arrived 
on  the  Coromandel  coast  in  161 6  and  was  soon 
followed  by  others.  In  the  year  1621  a  treaty 
was  concluded  with  the  Rajah  of  Tan j ore  by 
which  a  tract  of  country  five  miles  long  by 
three  miles  broad  on  the  Eastern  coast,  was 
ceded  to  the  Danes.  At  Tranquebar,  the  fort 
named  Dansborg  was  built,  and  above  this  floated 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  17  . 

the  Danish  flag.  At  the  time  when  the  building 
of  the  fort  began,  the  foundation  of  a  church  was 
laid  and  the  fortress  and  the  Christian  sanctuary 
rose  side  by  side.  The  new  settlement  rapidly 
increased  in  prosperity,  and  the  harbour  was 
crowded  with  shipping. 

Chaplains  were  sent  out  to  minister  to  the 
Danes  and  the  Germans  in  the  employment  of  the 
Company.  But  the  propagation  of  Christianity 
among  the  people  of  India  formed  no  part  of  the 
design  of  the  first  Danish  settlers.  The  Danes 
had  been  in  possession  of  Tranquebar  more  than 
eighty  years  before  they  gave  themselves  any  con- 
cern about  the  souls  of  the  people  around  them. 

When  King  Frederick  IV.  ascended  the  throne^ 
of  Denmark,  he  found  the  treasury  exhausted 
and  the  affairs  of  the  Kingdom  in  a  very  un- 
settled condition;  but  when  quiet  was  restored 
to  his  dominions  at  home,  he  turned  his  thoughts 
to  his  Eastern  possessions  and  was  prepared  to 
lend  a  willing  ear  when  Dr.  Liitkens,  one  of  the 
court  chaplains,  set  before  his  Majesty  the  duty 
of  providing  means  whereby  his  Indian  subjects 
could  be  made  acquainted  with  the  Gospel. 

When  the  King  began  to  make  inquiries  for    , 
men  willing  to  undertake  a  mission  to  India,  Dr. 
Liitkens  offered  himself  for  this  service. 

"  No,'*  said  the  King,  "  I  cannot  send  that  hoary 
head  to  encounter  the  dangers  of  the  voyage  and 
the  devouring  heat  of  the  Indian  climate.  Seek 
younger  men.     It  is  a  work  for  them." 


1 8      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Gladly  Dr.  Liitkens  entered  upon  such  a  quest, 
but  in  the  Church  in  Denmark  he  found  not  one 
willing  and  fitted  for  such  a  work. 

When  this  report  was  made  to  the  King,  he  ex- 
claimed, ''  I  am  grieved  not  a  little.  What !  Not 
one  such  instrument  ready  for  the  Master's  use 
in  all  my  kingdom !     Seek  for  men  in  Germany." 

Ziegenbalg  was  at  this  time  throwing  all  his 
soul  into  the  pastoral  work  in  Werder.  His  de- 
votion to  duty,  his  diligence,  his  habits  of  self- 
denial  and  his  acquirements  had  won  for  him 
favourable  recognition,  and  his  name  was  pro- 
posed to  Dr.  Liitkens  as  a  man  eminently  fitted 
for  the  proposed  undertaking.  Dr.  Francke  of 
Halle  gave  to  the  selection  his  hearty  approval, 
and  proposed  as  his  companion  in  labour,  Henry 
Pliitschau,  a  man  of  like  mind. 

The  two  young  men,  after  prayerfully  consider- 
ing the  matter,  decided  to  accept  the  call,  regard- 
ing it  as  God's  appointment  for  them. 

Speedily  settling  their  private  affairs,  on  the 
8th  of  October,  1705,  according  to  the  directions 
received,  they  proceeded  to  Copenhagen  to  be  ex- 
amined for  ordination.  The  King  and  his  chap- 
lains received  the  two  candidates  with  great 
kindness,  but  no  one  besides,  not  even  the  Bishop, 
felt  much  interest  in  the  proposed  mission.  The 
young  men  were  not  on  this  account  discouraged, 
and  on  the  24th  of  November,  1705,  they  em- 
barked for  India. 

The  voyage,  impeded  by  frequent  storms,  lasted 


Bartholomew  Ziegcnbalg  19 

eight  months.  Much  of  the  time  spent  on  the  sea 
was  occupied  in  the  study  of  Portuguese,  as  a 
knowledge  of  this  language  would  enable  them  to 
enter  upon  work  immediately  on  their  arrival, 
as  it  was  spoken  by  a  large  numiber  of  the  people 
on  the  eastern  coast  of  India. 

On  the  9th  of  July,  1706,  the  ship  in  which 
the  two  pioneer  missionaries  had  made  the  voy- 
age, anchored  in  the  harbour  of  Tranquebar. 
Presently  boats  pushed  out  from  the  shore,  and 
the  passengers,  the  ship's  officers  and  the  freight 
were  all  landed,  but  the  missionaries,  greatly  to 
their  surprise  and  disappointment,  were  left  on 
the  ship.  A  day  passed,  and  yet  another,  and  still 
they  waited.  At  length  the  captain  of  a  ship  at 
anchor  near  their  own,  filled  with  compassion  for 
the  patient  strangers,  brought  them  to  his  own 
vessel  and  had  them  rowed  to  the  shore.  As 
they  approached  the  land,  native  boatmen  rushed 
out  to  pull  them  through  the  surf;  but  an  effort 
was  made  to  prevent  this. 

No  voice  in  this  strange  land,  bade  them  wel- 
come. Instead,  they  were  ordered  to  remain  out- 
side the  gate  until  the  Governor  had  leisure  to 
attend  to  them.  It  was  a  long  anxious  day,  for 
the  Governor  with  his  Council  did  not  arrive 
until  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  What  had 
brought  them  to  the  country,  the  Governor  curtly 
asked.  When  they  had  made  known  their  mis- 
sion and  presented  their  credentials  signed  by  the 
King's  own  hand  and  bearing  the  royal  seal,  the 


20      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Governor  replied,  that  he  could  do  nothing  for 
them,  and  advised  them  to  return  without  delay 
to  their  own  country.  Then  turning  his  back 
upon  the  missionaries  he  was  followed  by  his 
suite  as  he  returned  to  his  mansion  and  the 
strangers  were  once  more  left  alone.  While  they 
waited  in  the  gathering  darkness,  one  of  the 
Governor's  suite,  more  humane  than  his  chief, 
offered  to  conduct  the  missionaries  to  the  house  of 
his  father-in-law,  where  they  would  find  a  tem- 
porary asylum. 

The  Danish  East  India  Company  had  no  sym- 
pathy with  the  desire  of  the  King  to  evangelize 
the  heathen  in  his  Eastern  dominions,  and  secret 
instructions  had  been  despatched  to  the  Governor 
in  Tranquebar,  authorizing  him  to  offer  every  op- 
position, and  on  no  account  to  further  the  enter- 
prise. 

A  few  days  after  their  arrival,  the  missionaries 
were  permitted  to  occupy  a  house  close  to  the 
heathen  and  Portuguese  quarter.  Ziegenbalg 
began  at  once  to  acquaint  himself  with  the  rudi- 
ments of  the  Tamil  language,  though  prosecut- 
ing the  study  under  great  difficulties,  without 
books  and  without  a  teacher.  A  Malabar  school- 
master was  at  length  persuaded  to  bring  his 
pupils  to  the  house  occupied  by  the  missionaries, 
who  were  allowed  to  becomje  learners.  And  so 
we  have  the  picture  of  these  two  pioneer  mis- 
sionaries, sitting  day  after  day,  cross-legged  on 
the  floor,  by  the  side  of  the  Malabarian  children, 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  21 

and  gravely  making  letters  in  the  sand,  as  did 
they ;  and  at  the  same  time  learning  the  sound  of 
the  letters. 

By  constant  intercourse  with  the  people,  Zie- 
genbalg became,  before  many  months,  familiar 
with  the  colloquial  Tamil,  and  eight  months  after 
his  arrival,  preached  his  first  extempore  sermon. 
He  very  early  began  to  make  a  collection  of  such 
books  as  would  give  him  some  knowledge  of  the 
native  mind.  This  unique  library  was  composed 
of  strips  of  the  palmyra  palm  leaf,  punctured 
with  a  stylus  and  then  fastened  together. 

"  I  chose  such  books,"  wrote  Ziegenbalg,  "  as 
I  should  wish  to  imitate,  both  in  speaking  and 
writing  and  had  such  authors  read  to  me  a  hun- 
dred times,  that  there  might  not  be  a  word  or 
expression  which  I  did  not  know,  or  could  not 
imitate." 

It  was  customary  at  that  time  for  natives  in 
times  of  scarcity  to  sell  themselves  for  food  and 
raiment,  and  great  numbers  of  the  people  had 
thus  come  into  the  possession  of  the  Danes  and 
the  Germans.  The  condition  of  this  wretched 
class  excited  the  deepest  pity  in  the  hearts  of 
the  missionaries.  They,  accordingly  sent  a 
memorial  to  the  Governor  begging  him  to  in- 
struct the  Protestant  owners  of  these  slaves  to 
send  them  two  hours  a  day  to  the  mission  house 
for  instruction.  The  Governor  promised  compli- 
ance, the  more  readily  as  he  had  a  short  time 
before  received   instructions   from   the   King    to 


r 


22      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

forward  to  the  utmost,  the  work  in  which  the 
missionaries  were  engaged. 

On  the  1 2th  of  May,  1707,  ten  months  after 
the  arrival  of  Ziegenbalg  and  his  companion,  the 
rite  of  Christian  baptism  was,  for  the  first  time 
administered,  five  of  the  slaves  who  had  been 
under  Christian  instruction,  receiving  the  ordi- 
nance, after  having  been  publicly  examined  in 
the  Danish  Church. 

The  missionaries  now  began  to  feel  the  need 
of  a  house  of  worship  in  which  to  hold  Tamil 
services.  The  Governor  opposed  the  project  and 
threw  every  obstacle  possible  in  the  way  of  ob- 
taining a  site  for  the  proposed  building.  A  suit- 
able site  was  however  secured  on  the  road  near 
the  sea-shore  and  in  the  midst  of  the  Tamil 
population.  In  great  poverty,  but  in  strong  faith, 
the  work  was  begun.  The  foundation-stone  was 
laid  on  the  14th  of  June,  1707,  and  two  months 
later,  on  the  14th  of  August,  the  new  sanctuary 
was  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  large  company.  To  the  church  was 
given  the  name  of  "  Jerusalem." 

From  the  beginning,  much  attention  was  be- 
stowed by  the  missionaries  upon  the  Christian  in- 
struction of  the  young.  '  ''  It  is  a  thing  known 
to  all  persons  of  understanding,"  wrote  Ziegen- 
balg, "  that  the  general  good  of  any  country  or 
nation  depends  upon  a  Christian  and  careful 
training  of  children  in  schools,  due  care  and  dili- 
gence in  this  matter,  producing  wise  governors  in 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  23 

the  State,  faithful  ministers  of  the  Gospel  in  the 
Church  and  good  members  of  the  Commonwealth    \ 
in  families."     The  schools  into  which  the  chil-    \ 
dren  of  this  infant  mission  were  gathered,  were 
indeed  nurseries  of  piety. 

Ziegenbalg's  knowledge  of  the  language  and 
literature  of  the  country,  made  him  a  skillful  de- 
bater and  his  fame  extended  beyond  Danish  ter- 
ritory. His  first  tour  outside  the  Danish  domin- 
ions, was  made  in  the  spring  of  1708,  to  a  town 
in  the  kingdom  of  Tan j ore,  where  he  had  a  con- 
ference with  the  Brahmins  and  left  with  them 
messages  from  the  Gospel  written  on  strips  of 
the  palmyra  leaf. 

In  July  of  this  same  year,  he  visited  by  invita- 
tion, the  Dutch  settlement  of  Negapatam.  On  his 
arrival,  one  of  the  magistrates  invited  the  Brah- 
mins and  other  learned  men  to  meet  for  a  con- 
ference on  religious  subjects.  A  great  concourse 
of  people  assembled  to  hear  the  discussion,  which 
lasted  five  hours. 

The  evangelistic  tours  undertaken  by  this  zeal- 
ous missionary  were  not  unattended  with  danger. 
At  a  great  heathen  festival  near  Madras,  he 
laboured  incessantly  for  five  days,  proclaiming  to 
the  crowds  which  gathered  around  him,  the  way 
of  salvation  through  Christ.  Overcome  by  fa- 
tigue, he  sought  a  quiet  place  in  which  to  rest. 
His  movements  were  watched  by  an  angry  priest, 
who  whispered  that  he  would  soon  silence  that 
ready  tongue.     A  lad  from  one  of  the  schools 


24      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

heard  the  threat  and  roused  the  sleeping  mis- 
sionary just  as  the  blow  was  about  to  fall. 

•  In  the  midsummer  of  1708,  a  ship  arrived  from 
Denmark  bringing  for  the  work  of  the  mission 
$1,000,  half  the  expected  amount.  The  other 
half,  with  letters  for  the  missionaries,  had  been 
put  on  board  another  ship  which  had  been 
wrecked.  This  was  a  sore  disappointment,  but 
a  greater  was  in  store  for  them.  In  landing 
the  cargo,  the  package  containing  the  money  for 
the  mission,  fell  into  the  sea  and  was  never  re- 
covered. And  now  their  enemies  said  derisively, 
"did  we  not  tell  you  that  heaven  is  very  high 
above  our  heads  and  Copenhagen  very  far  off  ?  " 
But  in  this  time  of  trial,  when  their  funds  were 
exhausted,  the  missionaries  found  that  they  had 
friends  as  well  as  enemies.  One  after  another 
came  forward,  begging  their  acceptance  of  such 
sums  as  they  required,  the  amount  to  be  repaid, 
when  funds  should  arrive  from  Europe. 
r  In  October,  1708,  Ziegenbalg  began  a  transh- 
ip tion  of  the  New  Testament  Scriptures  into  Tamil. 
Great  difficulties  attended  such  an  undertaking, 
as  the  native  teachers  could  give  little  efficient 
help.  The  Greek  text  was  closely  followed,  and 
the  Latin,  German,  Dutch,  Portuguese  and  Dan- 
ish versions  were  consulted,  together  with  the 
best  commentaries  at  command.  To  this  impor- 
tant work  Ziegenbalg  devoted  himself  with  great 
diligence,  rightly  declaring  that  great  progress  in 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  25 

Christianity  could  not  be  expected  until  the  peo- 
ple possessed  the  word  of  God  in  their  own 
language.  — y 

While  engaged  in  translating  the  word  of  God 
and  at  the  same  time  busily  carrying  forward 
various  kinds  of  missionary  work,  hindrances  be- 
gan to  increase.  Ziegenbalg  wrote  thus  of  the 
situation.  ''  God  gave  His  rich  blessing  to  all 
that  we  tried  to  do  in  His  name  and  yet  we  had  a 
determined  opposition.  The  Commandant  and 
the  whole  Privy  Council,  tried  in  every  way  to 
impede  the  holy  vv^ork,  so  that  at  last  it  seemed 
as  if  they  wished  to  exterminate  both  us  and  our 
congregations."     And  this  was  indeed  their  aim. 

Pliitschau  was  charged  with  rebellion  against 
authority,  arrested  and  publicly  dragged  through 
the  streets.  Ziegenbalg's  turn  soon  came.  '  An 
official  appeared  one  day  before  the  entrance  to 
the  mission-house  with  a  mandate  for  the  imme- 
diate arrest  of  Ziegenbalg  who  was  dragged 
away,  the  native  inhabitants  looking  on  in  speech- 
less amazement.  On  reaching  the  fortress,  he 
was  thrust  into  an  inner  prison,  a  mere  cell, 
where  the  heat  was  so  great  that  life- could  hardly 
be  endured  and  here  he  was  allowed  to  languish 
for  four  months./  He  was  guarded  by  soldiers 
and  his  friends  were  not  permitted  to  visit  him. 

When  he  had  spent  a  month  in  his  cell,  he  was 
one  night  awakened  by  his  guard,  and  writing 
materials,   which    had    been    denied    him,  were 


26      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

passed  into  his  cell,  with  a  whispered  message 
that  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  Christians 
and  heathens,  felt  sincere  sympathy  for  him. 

The  Governor  had  not  expected  that  the  man, 
hitherto  so  full  of  fiery  zeal,  would  manifest  so 
brave  and  patient  a  spirit,  and  fearing  longer  to 
keep  an  innocent  man  in  confinement,  requested 
his  prisoner  to  write  a  letter,  asking  for  his  re- 
lease. This  Ziegenbalg  consented  to  do,  moved 
by  pity  for  his  congregation,  v/hose  condition 
sorely  grieved  him/. 

When  he,  who  had  suffered  so  unjustly,  once 
more  appeared  among  his  people,  every  hand  was 
stretched  out  to  grasp  his  and  the  Malabarian 
congregation,  gathering  about  him,  wept  tears 
of  joy. 

The  summer  of  1709  brought  not  only  relief 
from  many  trials,  but  ushered  in  a  season  of 
greater  prosperity  than  the  mission  had  hitherto 
enjoyed.  Financial  help  came  both  from  Den- 
mark and  Germany ;  and,  greatest  joy  of  all,  three 
additional  labourers  arrived  from  Europe.  The 
enemies  of  the  mission  were  confounded.  They 
had  hoped  that  the  trials  through  which  the  mis- 
sionaries had  been  called  to  pass,  would  lead  them 
to  decide  to  abandon  the  work  and  return  to  their 
own  country.  Instead,  they  were  extending  their 
borders  and  new  labourers  had  been  added  to 
their  number.  To  add  to  their  discomfiture,  the 
same  ship  which  had  brought  reinforcements  for 
the  mission  and  means  with  which  to  carry  on 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  27 

and  extend  the  work,  brought  also  from  the  King 
of  Denmark,  to  the  Governor  of  Tranquebar,  ex- 
plicit commands  to  render  to  the  missionaries 
whatever  assistance  or  protection  they  might 
need. 

One  of  the  new  missionaries,  Johann  Ernst 
Griindler,  became  a  tower  of  strength  to  the 
mission.  Out  of  the  money  at  this  time  received 
from  Europe  $1,000  was  expended  in  the  pur- 
chase of  a  dwelling-house  for  the  now  large  mis- 
sion family.  The  new  home  was  consecrated  with 
a  service  of  prayer  and  praise. 

During  this  memorable  year,  new  friends  were 
raised  up  for  the  infant  mission.  The  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts, 
established  in  the  year  1701  and  having  for  its 
sole  object  the  supplying  of  the  British  Colonies 
with  clergymen,  in  token  of  the  interest  felt  in 
the  work  of  the  Danish  Mission  in  India,  voted  a 
present  of  £20;  and  this  gift,  it  is  believed,  rep- 
resents the  first  English  offering  upon  the  mis- 
sion altar.  A  small  sum,  this  gift  appears  in 
this  age,  but  it  was  no  inconsiderable  amount  at 
that  time.  With  this  gift  of  money  was  also  sent 
a  present  of  valuable  books.  Ziegenbalg  went 
himself  to  Madras  to  receive  those  gifts.  The 
distance  from  Tranquebar  was  thirty-six  German 
miles  and  was  performed  partly  in  palanquin  and 
partly  on  horseback.  Before  leaving  Tranquebar, 
the  missionary  obtained  permission  from  the 
Rajah  of  Tan j ore,  to  travel  through  his  domin- 


28      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

ions  and  to  preach  the  Gospel  wherever  he  found 
the  people  willing  to  receive  the  message. 

A  month  was  spent  in  Madras,  a  time  of  great 
refreshment,  both  of  mind  and  body,  and  new 
friends  were  raised  up  for  the  mission. 

War  was  at  this  time  going  on  between  Swe- 
den and  Denmark  and  when,  in  1710,  the  Danes 
met  with  reverses,  many  persons  prominent  in 
the  affairs  of  State,  expressed  great  unwillingness 
to  send  money  abroad  to  promote  an  object  of 
such  remote  interest,  when  funds  were  urgently 
needed  to  provide  ships  and  soldiers  for  the  de- 
fence of  the  Kingdom;  and,  in  consequence,  the 
mission  cause  in  Tranquebar  suffered  for  lack  of 
financial  aid.  To  add  to  the  pecuniary  embarrass- 
ment, during  the  same  year,  the  city  was 
visited  by  a  disastrous  flood  in  which  much  of 
the  property  belonging  to  the  mission  was  in- 
jured or  destroyed.  And  now  another  friend  was 
found  for  the  struggling  mission,  in  the  Society 
for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  which 
had  been  established  in  London  in  1699,  having 
for  its  object  the  promoting  of  religion  in  the 
British  Colonies.  It  was  at  this  time  proposed, 
in  view  of  the  need  of  funds  for  carrying  on  the 
work  of  the  Danish  Mission  in  Tranquebar,  to 
raise  a  special  fund  for  this  object.  An  appeal 
to  British  Christians,  met  with  a  prompt  and 
generous  response.  Means  were  thus  provided 
for  the  purchase  of  a  printing-press,  a  long  desired 
and  much-needed  acquisition,  as  books  had  been 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  29 

multiplied  only  by  employing  native  copyists,  a 
tedious  and  expensive  process,  since  the  work 
was  all  done  on  strips  of  the  palmyra  leaf,  every 
letter  punctured  by  an  iron  stylus. 

On  the  31st  of  May,  171 1,  the  Tamil  transla^, 
tion  of  the  New  Testament  was  completed  by 
Ziegenbalg.  The  day  was  celebrated  by  a  service 
of  praise.  Of  the  completion  of  this  work  Zie- 
genbalg wrote,  "  This  is  a  treasure  in  India  which 
surpasses  all  other  Indian  treasures."  This  great 
work  accomplished,  the  ever  zealous  missionary 
made  an  evangelistic  tour,  proceeding  northward 
as  far  as  Madras.  Soon  after  his  return  from  this 
tour,  he  was  called  to  part  with  his  fellow- 
worker,  Pliitschau,  the  health  of  whose  family 
made  a  return  to  Europe  necessary. 

The  printing-press  sent  out  from  Europe, 
reached  India  in  August,  1712.  The  services  of 
a  soldier  in  the  Danish  army,  who  had  learned 
the  art  of  printing,  were  secured,  and  the  work 
of  issuing  books  in  the  Portuguese  language, 
was  at  once  begun.  The  German  friends  of  the 
mission  sent  out  a  second  press  and  a  font  of 
Tamil  type,  made  at  home  under  very  interesting 
circumstances.  A  young  man  of  great  mechani- 
cal genius,  who  had  learned  the  art  of  printing 
by  studying  carefully  the  structure  of  the  Tamil 
letters,  with  infinite  patience,  had  produced  a 
font  of  Tamil  type.  His  interest  grew  with  the 
prosecution  of  the  work  and  in  December,  1712, 
both  he  and  a  younger  brother  offered  themselves 


30      Men  of  Might  In  India  Missions 

and  their  art  for  the  service  of  the  mission.  The 
young  men  were  accepted  and  a  free  passage 
secured  for  them  in  one  of  the  vessels  of  the 
Company's  fleet.  On  their  arrival  in  Tranque- 
bar,  in  June,  17 13,  the  printing  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  Tamil  was  begun. 

Ziegenbalg's  declining  health,  made  a  change 
to  his  native  land  imperative,  and  the  work  of 
putting  the  Tamil  New  Testament  through  the 
press  devolved  upon  Grundler.  Upon  him  also 
rested  the  responsibilities  of  the  congregations 
and  the  schools,  all  of  which  were  in  a  prosper- 
ous condition. 

On  the  last  day  of  October,  17 14,  Ziegenbalg 
embarked  on  the  Danish  ship  Frederick  IV  for 
Europe.  He  was  accompanied  to  the  ship  by 
great  numbers  of  the  Tamil  Christians,  who  be- 
sought him  with  tears  not  to  leave  them;  and 
many  from  among  the  heathen  begged  him  to 
hasten  his  return,  as  they  "  liked  to  have  those 
in  their  midst  who  stood  near  to  God  and  by 
whose  presence  both  they  and  their  country 
profited." 

Ziegenbalg  had  begun  the  work  of  translating 
the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament  into  Tamil 
as  soon  as  he  had  completed  the  translation  of  the 
New.  During  the  voyage  to  Europe,  he  occupied 
himself  with  the  translation  of  the  book  of  Joshua 
and  this  he  had  completed  when  the  ship  reached 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.    During  the  remainder 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  31 

of  the  voyage,  he  was  employed  upon  his  Tamil 
dictionary  and  upon  a  Tamil-Latin  grammar. 

The  ship  reached  its  destination,  Bergen,  Nor- 
way, on  the  first  of  June.  The  King  of  Den- 
mark was  at  this  time  engaged  in  the  siege  of 
Stralsund.  The  country  around  was  one  vast  en- 
campment. To  the  royal  camp  Ziegenbalg  hur- 
ried with  all  speed,  for  he  desired  greatly  to 
see  the  King.  He  was  at  once  admitted  into  the 
presence  of  his  Majesty,  though  he  came  unan- 
nounced. The  interview  lasted  five  hours,  the 
King,  for  a  time,  throwing  off  the  cares  of 
State  and  lending  an  interested  ear  to  the  story 
of  the  mission,  its  trials  and  its  triumphs.  He 
promised  not  only  to  continue  to  give  pecuniary 
aid  to  the  mission,  but,  as  far  as  possible,  to  re- 
move obstacles  to  the  successful  accomplishment 
of  the  work.  Ziegenbalg  was  informed  that  he 
had  been  made  Superintendent  of  the  Mission 
and  his  commission  forwarded  to  India. 

During  this  interview  between  the  King  and  the 
missionary,  there  was  much  excitement  among 
the  Danish  troops,  for  it  had  been  voiced  abroad 
that  a  distinguished  stranger  had  arrived  and  it 
was  supposed  that  he  had  come  to  communicate 
matters  of  importance. 

When  the  stranger  came  forth  from  the  pres- 
ence of  the  King,  the  interested  spectators  saw 
"a  man  of  commanding  presence,  of  great  dig- 
nity, with  a  flashing  eye,  resolute  and  calm  in 


32      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

his  demeanour,  a  bronzed  face,  seamed  with  deep 
hnes  of  care."  He  was  invited  to  preach  the 
word  of  God  to  the  assembled  troops  and  his 
message  found  deeply  interested  listeners. 

From  the  Royal  family  in  Copenhagen,  Zie- 
genbalg  received  a  cordial  welcome.  While  tarry- 
ing in  the  Capital  City  he  prepared  his  grammar 
and  a  large  part  of  his  dictionary  for  the  press, 
and  these  were  printed  at  Halle  before  his  return 
to  India.  From  Copenhagen,  he  proceeded  to 
Germany  to  revisit  the  scenes  and  renew  the 
friendships  of  his  youth.  He  was  everywhere 
received  with  marked  respect  and  vast  audiences 
filled  the  churches,  when  he  preached. 

A  visit  was  also  paid  to  Merseburg,  where  he 
had  for  a  short  time  been  tutor,  before  going  to 
India.  One  of  his  pupils  was  Dorothea  Saltz- 
mann,  daughter  of  one  of  the  Secretaries  to  Gov- 
ernment. She  was  now  grown  to  womanhood, 
of  ardent  piety,  great  strength  of  character  and 
with  a  well-cultivated  intellect.  Before  his  re- 
turn to  India,  Ziegenbalg  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Saltzmann,  who  proved  in  every  respect 
a  help-meet  to  her  husband. 

With  health  renewed,  Ziegenbalg  joyfully  pre- 
pared for  his  return  to  India.  The  Directors  of 
the  Danish  East  India  Co.  gave  a  free  passage 
to  the  mission  party  on  one  of  their  ships  leaving 
Europe  for  the  East,  on  the  4th  of  March,  17 16, 
and  Madras  was  reached  on  the  9th  of  August. 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  ^3 

There  was  great  rejoicing  when  Ziegenbalg  and 
his  bride  reached  Tranquebar. 

The   work   during  the  absence   of  the   senior 
missionary,    had   been   carried   on   by    Griindler 
with  unflagging  zeal.   Governor  Hassius  had  been 
recalled  and  a   friend  of  missions  appointed  in 
his  place.     Soon  after  the  return  of  Ziegenbalg,  j 
with  the  co-operation  of  Griindler,  a  seminary  I 
was   established    in    which    the   most   promising  • 
pupils  from  the  various    schools    could    receive ' 
such  Biblical  instruction  as  would  fit  them  for 
the  work  of  catechists  and  teachers  in  the  mission. 

The  church  built  in  1707  had  for  several  years 
been  too  small  for  the  growing  congregation  and 
it  was  resolved  to  provide  a  more  spacious  edifice. 
On  the  9th  of  February,  1717,  the  foundation 
stone  of  a  new  and  commodious  house  of  wor- 
ship was  laid  by  the  new  Governor  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  large  assembly.  The  completed  build- 
ing was  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God,  before 
the  end  of  the  year  and  named  "  New  Jerusalem." 

After  the  completion  of  the  new  sanctuary,  in 
the  beginning  of  171 8,  Ziegenbalg  made  an  ex- 
tensive evangelistic  tour.  At  the  close  of  this 
tour,  he  prepared  for  the  press  the  third  collec- 
tion of  his  conversations  with  both  Hindus  and 
Mohammedans,  setting  forth  in  a  concise  and 
lucid  manner,  the  truths  of  Christianity,  and  re- 
futing the  objections  most  frequently  urged  by 
these  classes  against  the  truths  taught    in    the 


34      Men  of  Might  In  India  Missions 

Sacred  Scriptures.  This  was  the  last  work  he 
sent  to  the  press,  for  at  the  end  of  this  year 
his  health  began  seriously  to'  decline.  *'  It  was 
sorrow  of  heart  rather  than  multiplicity  of 
labours,"  which  had  laid  low  this  man  of  iron  will. 
The  Mission  Board  which  had  been  founded  in 
Copenhagen,  had  for  its  secretary  a  man  who 
was  incapable  of  comprehending  Ziegenbalg's 
bold  ideas,  and  his  earnest  desire  to  take  advan- 
tage of  the  openings  of  Providence.  The  letters 
sent  from  the  secretary  to  the  missionaries  had 
been  not  only  lacking  in  sympathy,  but  cruelly 
unjust  and  Ziegenbalg,  enfeebled  as  he  was  by 
unremitting  labour  and  hard  self-denial  in  an  ex- 
hausting climate,  received  a  blow  from  which  he 
never  recovered. 

In  October,  1718,  he  took  to  his  bed,  but  near 
the  end  of  the  year  he  rallied  and  on  Christmas 
day  he  preached  in  the  new  church.  He 
preached  again  on  the  first  day  of  the  year  and 
this  was  his  last  public  service.  On  the  loth 
of  February  he  made  over  to  his  beloved  colleague 
Griindler,  the  superintendence  of  the  mission. 
The  23rd  of  February  was  his  last  day  on  earth. 
He  rose  early  and  as  was  his  custom,  joined  with 
his  wife  in  prayer.  Soon  after,  great  suffering 
came  on.  To  those  gathered  about  him,  he  said, 
"  I  shall  endure  in  this  conflict."  A  little  later 
a  look  of  infinite  peace  stole  over  his  face.  At 
his  request,  a  favourite  hymn  was  sung.  Then 
suddenly  raising  his  hand  to  his  eyes,  he  said, 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  35 

"How  is  it  so  light?  It  seems  as  if  the  sun 
were  shining  in  my  eyes."  Soon  after,  he  calmly 
fell  asleep  in  Jesus. 

Thus  passed  away  in  his  early  manhood,  for 
he  was  not  yet  thirty-six  years  of  age,  one  of 
whom  it  has  justly  been  said,  that  to  him,  more 
than  to  any  other  man.  belongs  the  title  of  the 
Apostle  of  India.   ' 

The  death  of  Ziegenbalg  caused  universal  sor- 
row. On  the  day  following  his  decease,  his  re- 
mains were  deposited  in  a  vault  in  the  New 
Jerusalem  church,  amid  the  tears  of  his  European 
friends  and  his  native  flock. 

Upon  Griindler  now  rested  the  burden  of  the 
responsibility  of  the  mission;  and  while  bowed 
beneath  a  weight  of  care  and  sorrow,  another 
letter  arrived  from  the  mission  secretary  at  home, 
full  of  condemnation  of  the  conduct  of  the  mis- 
sion. Ziegenbalg  had  sent  a  reply  to  the  first 
of  these  letters,  received  some  time  before  his 
death.  To  this  last,  Griindler  penned  an  answer. 
These  letters  from  Ziegenbalg  and  Griindler  are 
still  regarded  as  among  ''  the  most  brilliant  of 
missionary  apologetics." 

The  friends  of  Griindler  noted  with  deepest 
sorrow,  his  rapidly  failing  strength;  and  he  too 
felt  that  his  time  of  labour  would  soon  be  over. 
On  one  occasion,  in  the  presence  of  the  congre- 
gation, he  prayed  with  tears  that  the  Lord,  in 
love  and  mercy,  would  spare  him  until  the  arrival 
of  the  missionaries  then  on  their  way  to  India. 


36      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

His  prayer  was  answered.  One  day  on  his  way 
to  church,  letters  from  Europe  were  put  into  his 
hands.  The  first  one  opened  was  from  Dr. 
Francke  and  was  full  of  cheer  and  tenderest  sym- 
pathy, which  seemed  as  cordial  to  the  sorely 
wounded  heart  of  the  missionary. 

These  letters  had  been  brought  from  Europe 
by  the  new  missionaries,  who  had  forwarded 
them  to  Tranquebar  from  Madras.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1719,  the  three  missionaries  arrived  and  on 
one  of  these,  Benjamin  Schultze,  Griindler's 
mantle  fell,  when  a  few  months  later,  the  brave 
warrior  laid  down  his  armour.  Early  in  1720, 
Grundler  transferred  to  Schultze,  the  charge  of 
the  mission.  On  the  15th  of  March,  with  totter- 
ing steps  and  bowed  frame,  he  made  his  way  to 
the  church.  His  colleagues  w^ere  alarmed  at  his 
appearance,  for  the  seal  of  death  was  even  then 
on  that  calm  brow.  *'  I  wish  once  more  to  read 
the  liturgy  from  the  altar,"  said  Griindler,  in  an- 
swer to  the  startled  looks  bent  upon  him,  "  and 
once  more  to  pronounce  the  benediction  over  the 
congregation  I  am  soon  to  leave." 
C  On  the  19th  of  March  he  gave  his  last  instruc- 
tions to  Schultze  concerning  the  work  of  the  mis- 
sion, and  prayed  that  God's  richest  blessing  might 
rest  upon  him.  A  portion  of  Scripture,  at  his 
request,  was  read  to  him,  his  lips  moved  as  if 
in  prayer, — on  his  face  was  a  look  of  infinite 
peace,  and  thus  he  fell  asleep. 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg  37 

The  following  day  he  was  laid  to  rest  near 
Ziegenbalg,  in  the  New  Jerusalem  church. 

"  Who  can  feel  greater  grief  than  I  ?  "  said 
Schuhze,  ''  for  the  mission  has  been  deprived 
both  of  its  founder  and  of  his  efficient  and  faith- 
ful successor."  Schultze  was  spared  to  labour  in 
India  with  great  zeal,  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a 
century. 

As  soon  as  he  felt  himself  in  a  measure  quali-' 
fied  for  the  work,  he  took  up  the  translation  of  the 
Old  Testament  Scriptures  into  Tamil,  commenc- , 
ing  with  the  book  of  Ruth,  where  the  death  of 
Ziegenbalg  had  interrupted  the  work.  The  trans- 
lation was  completed  in  1725  and  two  years  later, 
after  careful  revision,  the  whole  Bible  was  ready 
to  put  into  the  hands  of  the  Tamil  Christians. 

The  first  church  built  by  Ziegenbalg,  near  the 
sea-shore,  with  the  cemetery  adjoining  it,  has 
long  since  been  swallowed  up  by  the  sea,  but  the 
house  in  which  the  great  missionary  lived  and 
from  whence  his  spirit  took  its  flight,  still  stands, 
a  modest  dwelling,  hallowed  by  precious  associa- 
tions. 

The  New  Jerusalem  church,  in  the  form  of  a 
Greek  cross,  is  in  a  perfect  state  of  preservation 
and  is  still  the  mission  church  of  Tranquebar. 
High  up  on  its  face  is  the  date  17 18,  and  above 
this  glitters  a  golden  crown  and  the  letters  F.  R. 
— Frederic  Rex. 

Looking  upon  the  congregation  worshipping  in 


38      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

this  historic  church,  visiting  the  schools  where  the 
children  and  youth  are  gathered  for  instruction, 
and  the  seminary  where  young  men  are  being 
trained  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  their  fellowmen, 
and  knowing  how  through  the  length  and  breadth 
of  India,  such  congregations,  such  schools  and 
such  seminaries  have  multiplied  since  the  days 
of  Ziegenbalg,  the  Christian  visitor  to  Tranque- 
bar,  notes  with  gratitude  that  the  grain  of  mus- 
tard-seed planted  in  this  idolatrous  land  by  the 
first  Protestant  missionaries  has  indeed  become 
a  great  tree. 


II. 

CHRISTIAN  FREDERICK  SCHWARTZ. 
1750-1798 

Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  was  born^ 
in  Sonenburg,  Prussia,  on  the  8th  of  October, 
1726.  Like  Ziegenbalg,  he  was  left  without  a 
mother  at  a  very  early  age.  His  mother  was  a 
woman  of  ardent  piety  and  her  son  Christian  had 
been  dedicated  to  the  Lord  from  his  birth.  When 
she  felt  that  death  was  near,  the  mother  called 
to  her  bedside  her  husband  and  the  pastor  of  the 
parish  church  and  charged  them  to  train  up  this 
child  in  the  remembrance  that  he  had  been  dedi- 
cated to  God's  service,  and  she  entreated  the 
father,  should  the  son,  when  arrived  at  years  of 
discretion,  express  a  desire  to  devote  himself  to 
the  Gospel  ministry,  to  encourage  and  promote 
that  desire  to  the  utmost. 

At  eight  years  of  age  the  boy  entered  the  gram- 
mar-school of  his  native  town.  When  fourteen 
years  old  he  was  "  confirmed,"  according  to  the 
practice  of  the  Lutheran  Church.  In  his  sixteenth 
year,  when  he  had  acquired  as  much  Latin  and 
Greek  as  could  be  learned  in  the  schools  of  Sonen- 
39 


40      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

burg,  together  with  the  rudiments  of  Hebrew, 
his  father  placed  him  in  an  academy  in  the  neigh- 
bouring town  of  Custrim.  The  journey  was  made 
on  foot,  by  both  father  and  son  and  there  was 
much  profitable  discourse  by  the  way,  for  the 
father  was  not  only  a  man  of  fervent  piety,  but 
of  vigourous  intellect. 

At  Custrim  young  Schwartz  was  beset  with 
temptations  to  which  he  had  hitherto  been  a 
stranger,  and  without  steadfast  faith  in  God,  he 
found  it  difficult  to  maintain  his  integrity.  "At 
this  critical  time  a  friend  was  raised  up  for  him 
in  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  syndics,  who  gave 
him  much  wise  counsel. 

The  father  of  this  young  lady  had  been  edu- 
cated at  Halle  and  retained  an  affectionate  remem- 
brance of,  and  a  profound  respect  for  the  pro- 
fessors of  this  celebrated  university.  His  inter- 
esting reminiscences  of  life  at  Halle  kindled  in 
the  breast  of  Schwartz  a  desire  to  complete  his 
course  of  study  at  this  seat  of  learning.  This 
proved  the  turning  point  in  the  life  of  the  young 
student.  He  entered  the  University  of  Halle 
when  twenty  years  of  age,  and  there,  three  years 
were  most  profitably  spent  in  study,  in  the  midst 
of  associations  the  most  favourable  for  the  devel- 
opment of  spiritual  graces. 

A  short  time  before  Schwartz  entered  the  uni- 
versity, the  veteran  missionary,  Schultze,  had 
returned  invalided  to  Europe  from  India.  He 
made  Halle  his  place  of  residence  and  thus  the 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  41 

young  student  came  under  his  influence.  ^  Mr. 
Schultze  was  greatly  drawn  to  the  young  man, 
who,  in  his  turn  listened  with  a  strange  fascina- 
tion to  a  recital  of  the  labours  and  experiences  of 
the  missionary  from  the  distant  East. 

It  was  at  this  time  in  contemplation  to  print  at 
Halle  a  new  edition  of  the  Tamil  Scriptures, 
under  the  superintendence  of  Schultze,  and  at  his 
suggestion,  Schwartz  began  the  study  of  Tamil 
in  order  to  give  assistance  in  the  work  of  cor- 
recting the  proofs.  Thus  were  the  thoughts  of 
the  ardent  young  student,  turned  to  the  great  mis- 
sion field  of  India. 

Professor  Francke  had  been  instructed  by  the 
Danish  College  of  Missions  at  Copenhagen  to 
select  suitable  men  for  reinforcing  the  Tranque- 
bar  mission  and,  as  forty  years  before  he  had 
counselled  with  Ziegenbalg,  so  now  his  thoughts 
turned  to  Mr.  Schwartz  as  a  man  eminently 
fitted  to  engage  in  such  a  work ;  and  in  this  opin- 
ion Mr.  Schultze  cordially  concurred. 

Mr.  Schwartz  had  before  this  time  resolved  to 
devote  his  life  to  the  Gospel  ministry,  and  when 
asked  by  those  whose  opinion  he  valued  if  he 
would  prayerfully  consider  the  matter  of  serving 
the  Lord  as  a  missionary  in  India,  he  declared 
himself  ready  to  follow  the  leadings  of  the 
Master.  But  before  making  a  final  decision  he 
felt  that  he  must  consult  his  father.  A  visit  to 
Sonenburg  was  accordingly  made  and  the  father 
was  asked  to  consider  the  question  of  resigning 


42      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

this  beloved  son  to  the  work  of  a  missionary 
abroad.  The  father  repHed  that  so  important  a 
matter  required  serious  consideration  and  he 
could  not  at  once  announce  his  decision. 

Who  can  doubt  that  this  Christian  father  spent 
much  of  the  time  before  making  known  his  de- 
cision, in  earnest  prayer  for  guidance,  and  at 
such  a  time  there  would  come  vividly  to  his  re- 
membrance the  death-bed  scene  of  the  mother, 
and  her  dying  charge  in  reference  to  this  son. 

When  the  father  came  forth  from  his  chamber, 
there  was  on  his  face  a  radiant  look  as  though 
in  a  mighty  conflict  he  had  come  off  conqueror. 
Approaching  his  son  who  had  risen  to  meet  him, 
he  laid  his  hands  in  blessing  upon  his  bowed 
head,  and  in  a  voice  tremulous  with  emotion, 
bade  him  go  forth  on  his  Christ-like  errand,  for- 
getting his  country  and  his  father's  house. 

The  desired  permission  having  been  obtained 
Schwartz  hastened  the  preparations  for  his  de- 
parture, generously  resigning  his  patrimony  to 
his  brothers  and  sisters,  and  at  once  returned  to 
Halle. 

After  completing  his  course  at  the  university, 
Mr.  Schwartz,  accompanied  by  two  other  young 
men  under  orders  for  India,  set  out  for  Copen- 
hagen, where  they  were  ordained  by  the  Danish 
Bishop,  on  the  6th  of  September,  1749.  Before 
sailing  for  India,  some  time  was  spent  in  Eng- 
land, in  order  that  the  young  nien  might  gain 
some  acquaintance  with    the    English    language. 


J         Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  43 

During  the  time  spent  in  London  they  received 
great  kindness  from  the  Society  for  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge,  and  were  thereby  greatly 
comforted  and  encouraged.      /7-53 

On  the  first  of  February,-^g^  the  mission- 
aries embarked  at  Deal,  the  Directors  of  the  East 
India  Company,  at  the  request  of  the  Christian 
Knowledge  Society,  having  kindly  granted  the 
party  a  free  passage  on  board  one  of  their  out- 
ward-bound ships. 

At  nine  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  13th  of 
July,  Ceylon  came  into  view  and  great  was  the 
joy  of  all.  On  the  following  morning  Cudda- 
lore  was  reached.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Kiernander, 
missionary  of  the  Society  for  Promoting  Chris- 
tian Knowledge,  at  Cuddalore,  received  and  hos- 
pitably entertained  the  missionaries  until  one  of 
the  brethren  from  Tranquebar,  arrived  to  con- 
duct the  party  thither. 

The  young  missionaries  began  at  once  to  apply 
themselves  with  diligence  to  the  study  of  the 
language.  Mr.  Schwartz  now  found  to  his  great 
joy  that  the  time  spent  in  the  study  of  Tamil 
under  Mr.  Schultze  at  Halle  had  by  no  means 
been  lost  time,  as  in  four  months  after  his  arrival, 
he  preached  his  first  sermon  in  the  vernacular. 
He  soon  had  such  a  command  of  the  language  as 
enabled  him  to  engage  in  a  daily  catechetical  ex- 
ercise with  the  "  youngest  lambs  "  in  the  Tamil 
schools,  though  to  use  his  own  words,  "  it  was 
with  a  faltering  tongue." 


44      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Two  afternoons  each  week,  in  company  with 
some  of  his  missionary  associates,  he  visited  the 
Christians  in  the  villages  and  tried  to  tell  to  the 
heathen  gathered  about  him,  the  story  of  the 
cross.  '  He  found  the  people  shrewd,  ready  to 
argue  and  to  defend  their  ancestral  faith. 

"How  shall  I  be  maintained?"  said  one,  "if 
I  become  a  Christian."  Another  said,  "  if  I  ac- 
cept Christianity,  I  shall  be  called  an  apostle  and 
shall  lose  the  regard  of  my  countrymen."        /T'^^i'''' 

Then  as  now,  the  ungodly  lives  led  by  some 
of  those  who  bore  the  Christian  name,  were  made 
a  reason  for  the  non-acceptance  of  Christianity. 
One  day,  meeting  a  Hindu  dancing-master  and 
his  female  pupil,  Mr.  Schwartz,  after  some  con- 
versation, told  them  that  the  entrance  to  heaven 
was  barred  against  all  unholy  persons.  "  Alas ! 
sir,"  quickly  retorted  the  girl,  "  in  that  case  how 
few  Europeans  will  be  found  there." 

Mr.  Schwartz  early  arrived  at  the  conclusion 
that  in  order  to  refute  successfully  the  sophistries 
of  this  people,  so  wise  in  their  own  conceit,  it 
would  be  necessary  to  become  acquainted  with 
their  sacred  books,  and  irksome  in  some  respects 
as  he  found  this  study,  yet  he  felt  that  the  knowl- 
edge thus  acquired,  was  a  potent  factor  in  his 
work  as  a  missionary. 

The  missionary  associates  of  Mr.  Schwartz 
were  not  slow  in  discovering  that  his  abilities 
were  of  a  superior  order  and  important  trusts 
were  committed  to  him.     He  had  a  remarkable 


)> 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  45 

facility  in  acquiring  languages,  was  ready  at  all 
times  to  endure  hardness  and  was  possessed  of 
consummate  tact  which  paved  the  way  for  his 
ready  admission  either  to  a  hunt  or  a  palace. 

The  Dutch  missionaries  in  Ceylon  had  received 
from  the  missionaries  in  Tranquebar,  copies  of 
the  Tamil  Bible  for  use  among  the  Tamil  speak- 
ing people  of  the  island  and  in  1760  some  of  the 
Tamil  Christians  sent  a  request  for  one  of  the 
Tranquebar  missionaries  to  pay  them  a  visit  and 
to  labour  for  a  time  among  them.  Mr.  Schwartz 
being  deputed  by  his  colleagues  to  comply  with 
this  request,  he  reached  Jaffna  on  the  last  day 
of  April  and  immediately  began  his  labours.  He 
was  absent  from  Tranquebar  five  months,  and 
his  visit  was  long  remembered  in  Ceylon  and  his 
name  loved  and  honoured  alike  by  Europeans  and 
natives. 

Useful  as  was  Mr.  Schwartz  in  the  work  in 
Tranquebar  and  on  his  missionary  tours,  a  wider 
field  was  about  to  open  before  him.  In  May, 
1762,  accompanied  by  a  brother  missionary,  he 
paid  a  visit  to  the  cities  of  Tanjore  and  Trichi- 
nopoly,  according  to  his  custom,  making  known 
the  Gospel  wherever  he  could  find  listeners  to 
his  message.  At  Tanjore  he  preached  the  Gospel 
not  only  in  the  city,  but  in  the  palace  of  the 
Rajah,  who,  concealed  by  a  screen,  heard  without 
being  seen. 

Trichinopoly  was  then  visited  and  here  he 
was  received  with  great  kindness  by  the  English 


46      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

officers  and  civilians.  In  September,  he  returned 
to  Tranquebar,  which  continued  for  some  tim^ 
longer  to  be  nominally  his  home ;  but  from  the 
time  of  this  visit,  Tanjore  and  Trichinopoly  oc- 
cupied his  thoughts  more  and  more,  and  became 
eventually  the  scene  of  his  truly  apostolic  labours. 

In  1766,  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian 
Knowledge,  decided  to  occupy  Trichinopoly 
permanently  as  a  mission  station  and  Mr. 
Schwartz  was  asked  to  take  charge  of  the  new 
station  as  a  missionary  of  that  society.  The 
invitation  was  approved  by  the  Danish  College 
of  Missions  at  Copenhagen  and  by  the  mission- 
ary brethren  in  Tranquebar,  and  after  more  than 
sixteen  years  in  India  and  at  the  age  of  forty  he 
entered  upon  his  really  distinctive  and  independent 
work  as  a  missionary. 

Trichinopoly  at  this  time  contained  a  popula- 
tion of  from  twenty  to  thirty  thousand  inhabi- 
tants, was  noted  for  its  fine  mosques  and  in  a 
large  palace,  in  the  midst  of  beautiful  gardens, 
dwelt  Mohamed  Ali,  the  Nawab  of  the  Carnatic. 
Here  Mr.  Schwartz  made  the  acquaintance  of 
William  Chambers,  Esq.  brother  of  the  Chief 
Justice  of  Bengal  and  an  accomplished  Oriental 
scholar.  This  gentleman  soon  learned  to  feel  a 
high  regard  for  the  missionary  and  from  this 
new  acquaintance,  we  have  a  pen-picture  of  Mr. 
Schwartz  as  he  appeared  at  that  time.  "  I  had 
expected,"  said  Mr.  Chambers,  "  to  find  the  fa- 
mous missionary  a  very  austere  and  strict  person, 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  47 

whereas  the  first  sight  of  the  man  made  a  com- 
plete revohition  on  this  point.  His  garb,  indeed, 
which  was  pretty  well  worn,  seemed  foreign  and 
old-fashioned,  but  in  every  other  respect,  his  ap- 
pearance was  the  reverse  of  all  that  could  be 
called  forbidding  or  morose.  Figure  to  yourself 
a  stout,  well-made  man,  somewhat  above  the 
middle  size,  erect  in  his  carriage  and  address, 
with  a  complexion  rather  dark,  though  healthy, 
black  curled  hair,  and  a  manly,  engaging  counte- 
nance, expressive  of  unaffected  candour,  ingenu- 
ousness and  benevolence,  and  you  will  have  an 
idea  of  what  Mr.  Schwartz  appeared  to  be  at 
first  sight." 

His  entire  income  at  this  time  was  ten  pagodas 
a  month,  or  about  £48  per  annum.  Through  the 
military  oi^cer  in  charge  of  the  garrison,  he  se- 
cured a  room  with  barely  space  for  his  bed  and 
himself.  In  food  and  clothing  he  was  most 
frugal.  The  little  brass  lamp  which  had  served 
him  in  the  university  at  Halle,  accompanied  him 
to  India,  and  was  used  to  the  end  of  his  Hfe. 

Mr.  Schwartz  sought  to  do  faithfully  the  work 
of  an  evangelist,  preaching  not  only  in  the  city 
of  Trichinopoly,  but  in  the  surrounding  villages, 
and  soon  a  congregation  of  converts  was  formed. 
Among  these  were  found  some  capable  of  in- 
structing others,  and  these  were  employed  as 
catechists.  The  large  English  garrison  had 
neither  church  nor  chaplain,  and  without  neglect- 
ing his   work    for   the   people   of   the   land,    he 


/ 


48      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

sought  to  be  of  service  to  these  sheep  without  a 
shepherd.  He  persuaded  the  soldiers  to  meet 
in  a  room  in  an  old  building,  but  so  popular  did 
these  services  become,  that  it  was  resolved,  if 
possible  to  raise  funds  for  the  building  of  a 
church  edifice.  The  sum  contributed  for  this 
purpose  was  not  large,  but  in  the  hands  of  Mr. 
Schwartz  was  so  wisely  used  that  a  building 
capable  of  accommodating  an  audience  of  1,500 
or  2,000  was  provided.  The  new  sanctuary  was 
solemnly  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  God  on  the 
i8th  of  May,  1766,  and  called  Christ  Church. 
On  the  Sabbath,  services  were  held  in  this  church 
from  morning  until  evening,  in  English,  in 
Tamil  and  in  Portuguese. 

The  Madras  Government,  without  solicitation, 
granted  Mr.  Schwartz  iioo  per  annum  as  chap- 
lain of  the  garrison.  This  money  he  used  in  the 
first  instance  in  the  building  of  a  mission-house 
and  school-room  adjoining.  This  work  com- 
pleted, he  accepted  one  half  the  amount,  nominally 
for  his  own  personal  use,  though  it  was  chiefly 
distributed  in  charity.  The  remaining  half  he 
spent  on  his  native  congregation. 

In  1767,  the  country  in  the  vicinity  of  Trichi- 
nopoly  became  the  seat  of  active  military  opera- 
tions, and  Mr.  Schwartz  had  many  opportunities 
of  exercising  the  duties  of  his  office,  in  attending 
upon  the  sick  and  wounded  from  the  English 
camp.  A  treaty  of  peace  between  the  combatants, 
was  concluded  in  April,  1769  and  he  felt  that  the 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  49 

way  was  open  to  pay  a  long  contemplated  visit 
to  Tanjore,  where  he  spent  three  weeks,  preach- 
ing daily,  and  examining  the  schools  which  had, 
been  established.  One  important  result  of  this 
visit  to  Tanjore,  was  the  introduction  of  the  mis- 
sionary to  the  Rajah  Tuljajee,  who  had  expressed 
a  desire  to  make  his  acquaintance  and  with  whom 
he  was  henceforth  to  be  so  closely  associated. 

"  He  is  a  priest,"  remarked  the  Rajah  to  one 
of  his  suite,  and  the  conversation  turned  at  once, 
upon  the  truths  of  the  Gospel.  According  to 
custom,  a  tray  of  sweetmeats  was  presented  at 
the  close  of  the  interview.  The  missionary  ac- 
cepting a  portion,  said,  '*  we  Christians,  Before 
partaking  of  food,  are  accustomed  to  implore 
grace  to  use  the  gift  to  the  glory  of  God."  He 
was  then  desired  by  the  Rajah  to  offer  up  such  a 
prayer. 

"  Oh !  that  the  King  would  accept  this  relig- 
ion," said  an  interested  listener,  when  Schwartz 
was  on  one  occasion  proclaiming  the  Gospel 
message,  *'  then  all  in  his  kingdom  would  forsake 
heathenism." 

From  time  to  time  Mr.  Schwartz  continued  to 
visit  Tanjore  accompanied  by  one  or  more  of  his 
faithful  catechists,  but  he  felt  very  forcibly,  that 
for  so  important  a  field,  the  occasional  visits 
which  he  was  able  to  pay  were  insufficient  if 
permanent  good  was  to  be  exoected.  In  the  year 
1773  a  catechist  from  Trichinopoly  was  stationed 
permanently  in  Tanjore  and  a  small  building  was 


5©      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

erected  in  the  fort  in  which  those  who  desired  to 
receive  Christian  instruction  could  assemble. 

The  close  of  this  year  brought  disaster  to  the 
Rajah  and  to  his  people.  The  Nawab  of  Arcot  on 
the  ostensible  pretext  of  the  non-payment  of 
tribute  due  to  the  Nawab  from  the  Rajah,  sent 
an  army  from  Trichinopoly,  to  enforce  his  de- 
mand. The  Rajah  and  his  family  were  taken 
prisoners  and  the  Nawab  took  forcible  possession 
of  his  Kingdom  and  his  treasure. 

The  effect  of  this  change  of  government  was 
seriously  to  impede  missionary  operations  in  Tan- 
jore.  The  building  erected  in  the  fort,  for  Chris- 
tian worship  was  destroyed,  and  many  thousands 
of  the  inhabitants  left  the  country  for  want  of 
food  and  employment. 

Mr.  Schwartz  was  allowed  a  brief  interview 
with  the  Captive  Rajah.  An  officer  of  the  Rajah 
who  shared  his  confinement,  said  with  deep  emo- 
tion, "  we  remember  what  you  said  to  us,  though 
we  did  not  follow  your  advice."  On  being  asked, 
"  do  your  Gods  help  you  now  ? "  they  frankly 
admitted,  "  They  are  all  naught." 

In  the  city  of  Tan j  ore,  desolation  reigned ;  but 
this  state  of  things  was  not  to  continue.  The  act 
of  the  Madras  Government  in  giving  assistance 
to  the  Nawab  of  Arcot,  against  the  Rajah  of 
Tan  j  ore,  met  with  the  emphatic  disapproval  of 
the  Court  of  Directors  in  England.  An  order 
was  therefore  issued  by  that  body,  demanding 
the  immediate  restoration  to  his  Kingdom,  of  the 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  51 

deposed  Rajah.  This  was  an  act  of  justice  in 
which  the  missionary  greatly  rejoiced,  but  he 
noted  with  sincere  sorrow  that  the  Rajah  had 
learned  no  salutary  lessons  from  his  misfortunes. 

The  missionary  brethren  in  Tranquebar  at 
length  decided  to  send  to  the  assistance  of  Mr. 
Schwartz,  the  Rev.  Christian  Pohle  in  order  that 
the  senior  missionary  might  be  able  to  devote 
more  of  his  time  to  work  in  Tanjore.  Possessed 
of  great  zeal,  practical  wisdom,  and  unusual  apti- 
tude in  acquiring  languages,  Mr.  Pohle  was  soon 
able  to  take  an  active  part  in  the  varied  duties  of 
the  mission. 

Feeling  assured  that  the  work  in  Trichinopoly 
would  not  now  be  left  to  suffer,  Mr.  Schwartz 
turned  his  attention  more  and  more  to  Tanjore. 
His  Success  in  reaching  the  hearts  of  those  to 
whom  he  addressed  the  messages  of  salvation  was 
evidenced  by  the  rapid  increase  of  the  Christian 
community.  The  church  building  in  the  fort, 
which  had  been  destroyed  after  the  deposition  of 
the  Rajah,  was  replaced  by  a  temporary  struc- 
ture through  the  liberality  of  a  pious  English 
officer;  but  as  this  furnished  insufficient  accom- 
modation, Schwartz  began  to  think  of  erecting  a 
permanent  and  more  spacious  edifice. 

On  the  loth  of  March,  1797,  General  Munro, 
an  earnest  Christian,  and  a  warm  friend  of  the 
Mission,  laid  the  foundation  stone  of  a  new  house 
of  prayer.  In  recognition  of  the  services  which 
the  missionary  had  rendered  as  chaplain,  and  also 


52      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

as  translator  for  the  Government  in  important 
cases,  General  Munro  requested  the  representa- 
tives of  the  Government  in  Madras  to  make  Mr. 
Schwartz  a  suitable  recompense. 

On  becoming  acquainted  with  the  kind  inten- 
tions of  General  Munro,  Schwartz  immediately 
wrote,  declining  any  present  for  himself,  but  said 
that  if  the  Government  desired  to  do  him  a  favor 
he  would  forward  a  request  for  material  toward 
the  erection  of  the  contemplated  church  building. 

After  some  time  had  elapsed,  Mr.  Schwartz 
received  a  letter  from  General  Munro,  desiring 
him  to  come  without  delay  to  Madras,  as  the 
Governor,  Sir  Thomas  Rumbold,  had  matters  of 
importance  to  communicate  to  him.  On  his  ar- 
rival, the  missionary  was  asked  if  he  would 
undertake  a  confidential  mission  to  Hyder  Ali,  at 
Seringapatam,  in  order  to  ascertain  his  actual 
disposition  with  respect  to  the  English.  "  There 
is  reason  to  believe,"  said  the  Governor,  "  that 
he  has  hostile  designs,  and  we  wish  to  assure  him 
of  the  pacific  intentions  of  the  Madras  Govern- 
ment. We  have  fixed  upon  you  to  undertake 
this  important  and  difficult  mission,  not  only  be- 
cause of  your  intimate  knowledge  of  Hindustani, 
making  the  services  of  an  interpreter  unneces- 
sary, but  we  are  convinced  that  you  would  act 
in  a  wholly  disinterested  manner,  and  that  no 
one  can  approach  you  with  a  bribe." 

Mr.  Schwartz  consented  to  undertake  this  mis- 
sion, because  persuaded  that  it  was  in  the  inter- 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  53 

ests  of  peace,  and  because  it  would  open  new 
doors  for  the  publication  of  the  Gospel  message. 
He  returned  at  once  to  Tan j ore,  leaving  direc- 
tions with  the  native  helpers  for  guidance  during 
his  absence.  He  also  visited  Trichinopoly,  and 
left  instructions  for  the  conduct  of  the  work  in 
that  station. 

On  the  first  of  July,  1779,  accompanied  by 
Satthianadhan,  one  of  his  faithful  catechists,  he 
set  out  on  the  important  mission  which  had  been 
intrusted  to  him.  After  a  palanquin  journey  of 
six  days,  the  travellers  reached  Caroor,  the  fron- 
tier fort  of  Hyder  Ali,  where  they  were  detained 
a  month,  waiting  for  permission  to  proceed. 
This  interval  was  fully  occupied  in  preaching  the 
Gospel,  and  sometimes  the  streets  were  thronged 
with  listeners.  The  required  permission  to  ad- 
vance, having  at  length  been  received,  the  jour- 
ney was  continued,  and  on  the  24th  of  August, 
the  fort  of  Mysore  was  reached.  From  this 
point  the  travellers  had  a  view  of  Seringapatam, 
the  goal  of  their  journey. 

The  conferences  with  the  Prince  were  usually 
held  in  a  spacious  hall  supported  by  marble  col- 
umns, and  looking  out  upon  a  fine  garden.  Hyder 
Ali  received  the  missionary  seated  on  the  floor 
on  a  rich  carpet,  and  gave  him  a  place  by  his 
side.  He  desired,  he  said,  to  keep  peace  with  the 
English,  but  he  was  not  convinced  that  the  Eng- 
lish entertained  really  friendly  views  toward 
him.      "  You,"    he    said,    addressing    Schwartz, 


54      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

"  are  made  an  instrument  to  cover  intentions  and 
views  very  different  from  those  which  actuate 
your  own  mind.  You  are  welcome  to  remain  in 
Seringapatam,  as  long  as  it  pleases  you  to  do  so, 
and  you  have  also  my  permission  to  try  to  con- 
vert my  subjects  to  the  Christian  religion,  as  I 
feel  confident  that  you  will  say  nothing  improper 
to  them,  or  that  will  tend  to  injure  my  authority." 

Having  received  a  letter  which  he  was  to  de- 
liver to  the  Governor  of  Madras,  Mr.  Schwartz 
took  leave  of  the  Sovereign  of  Mysore.  On  en- 
tering his  palanquin  he  found  a  bag  of  three 
hundred  rupees  which  Hyder  AH  had  ordered  to 
be  presented  to  him  with  which  to  defray  the  ex- 
penses of  the  journey.  This  money  Mr. 
Schwartz  wished  at  once  to  return,  but  being  in- 
formed that  such  an  act  would  be  regarded  as 
discourteous,  on  his  arrival  in  Madras,  he  de- 
livered the  bag  of  rupees  to  the  Government 
officials,  who,  of  course,  declined  to  receive  it. 
Mr.  Schwartz  then  asked  permission  to  appro- 
priate the  sum  to  the  beginning  of  a  fund  for  a 
school  for  English  orphan  children  in  Tanjore. 
Such  a  school  was  at  once  established  and  proved 
a  great  blessing. 

When  Mr.  Schwartz  learned  that  the  Governor 
of  Madras  intended  presenting  him  with  a  sum  of 
money  in  recognition  of  the  service  he  had  ren- 
dered, he  begged  to  be  allowed  to  decline  the 
gift  but  signified  that  it  would  gratify  him  if  the 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  55 

Board  would  allow  to  Mr.  Pohle,  his  colleague  in 
Trichinopoly,  the  sum  of  iioo  per  annum,  the 
same  amount  which  he  himself  received,  since  he 
knew  that,  as  in  his  own  case,  the  money  would  be 
employed  for  the  benefit  of  the  mission.  This 
request  was  granted,  and  Mr.  Schwartz  then 
wrote,  "  we  are  now  able  to  maintain  in  both 
Trichinopoly  and  Tan j ore,  catechists  and  school- 
masters." 

The  Government  also  ordered  that  the  mission- 
ary should  be  supplied  with  bricks  and  lime  to- 
ward the  building  of  the  church  in  Tan  j  ore.  This 
w^ork  was  therefore  pushed  rapidly  forward  and 
the  completed  building  was  consecrated  to  the 
worship  of  God,  in  April,  1780.  As  the  situation 
of  this  church  was  convenient  for  the  garrison, 
but  inconvenient  for  the  Tamil  congregation,  a 
second  church  was  provided  for  them,  the  Rajah 
contributing  the  site  and  English  friends  the 
larger  share  of  the  funds  required  for  the  erec- 
tion. On  the  ground  given  by  the  Rajah  for  the 
church,  Mr.  Schwartz  eventually  built  a  mission- 
house,  houses  for  the  catechists  and  a  school,  and 
here  he  lived  like  a  father  in  the  midst  of  his 
family. 

Notwithstanding  the  assurances  made  by  the 
Sovereign  of  Mysore  that  he  was  anxious  for  the 
preservation  of  peace,  in  June,  1780,  he  com- 
menced hostilities,  invading  the  Carnatic  with  an 
army  of  nearly  100,000.    His  cavalry  overran  the 


56      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

country  leaving  ruin  and  desolation  behind  them, 
and  for  three  years,  war,  famine  and  desolation 
reigned  in  that  section  and  the  South  of  India. 
When  Mr.  Schwartz  returned  from  Seringapa- 
tam,  being  persuaded  that  war  was  imminent,  he 
purchased  and  carefully  stored,  12,000  bushels  of 
rice  while  it  was  abundant  and  therefore  cheap, 
and  when  the  time  of  distress  came,  he  had  food 
for  all  who  were  dependent  on  him.  The  Euro- 
peans who  knew  and  trusted  the  **  good  mission- 
ary," sent  him  large  sums  monthly  with  which  to 
purchase  food  to  distribute  among  the  starving, 
and  great  numbers  were  thus  saved  from  death. 
In  1 78 1  the  city  of  Tan j  ore  was  crowded  with 
starving  people,  and  the  food  supply  was  ex- 
hausted. There  was  grain  in  the  country,  but 
no  bullocks  could  be  obtained  to  bring  it  into  the 
fortress,  as  the  people  refused  to  trust  either  the 
Rajah  or  his  officials.  At  length  the  Rajah  said 
to  his  ministers,  "  we  all,  you  and  I,  have  lost 
our  credit.  Let  us  try  whether  the  inhabitants 
will  trust  the  missionary."  He  accordingly  sent 
to  Mr.  Schwartz  a  communication  giving  him  full 
authority  to  make  his  own  terms  with  the  people. 
Within  two  days  1,000  bullocks  were  placed  at 
the  disposal  of  the  missionary,  who  had  engaged 
to  pay  the  people  with  his  own  hands,  and  soon 
and  the  fortress  was  thereby  saved  from  starva- 
tion. 

*  Maund=a  weight  of  almost  80  jx^unds. 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  57 

The  following  year  the  city  of  Tan j  ore  was  re- 
duced to  a  like  extremity,  and  again  the  "  good 
missionary  "  was  asked  to  come  to  the  help  of 
the  perishing.  Placing  implicit  confidence  in  the 
promise  of  Mr.  Schwartz,  that  prompt  and  ample 
remuneration  would  be  given,  the  people  came 
with  their  cattle,  and  accompanied  by  the  Chris- 
tian helpers  of  the  mission,  brought  from  the  coun- 
try an  ample  supply  of  grain.  The  Christian  mis- 
sionary had  won  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  all. 
Hyder  AH  was  so  deeply  impressed  by  the  nobility 
and  uprightness  of  his  character  that  he  gave 
orders  to  his  officers  to  permit  the  ''  venerable 
padre  "  to  pass  unmolested  and  to  show  him  re- 
spect and  kindness. 

In  the  third  year  of  the  war  Hyder  Ali  died 
and  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  known  later  as 
*  Tippoo  Sultan."  Becoming  convinced  that  his 
cause  could  not  succeed,  Tippoo  was  anxious  for 
a  cessation  of  hostilities.  A  treaty  of  peace  was 
at  length  concluded,  and  the  army  of  the  Sultan 
was  withdrawn.  The  misery  of  the  Tan  j  ore  King- 
dom was,  however,  little  abated,  for  the  Rajah, 
afflicted  with  an  incurable  disease  had  left  the 
affairs  of  his  Kingdom  to  a  cruel  and  unscrupulous 
minister  and  because  of  intolerable  oppression, 
65,000  of  the  best  inhabitants  left  the  Kingdom. 
The  Rajah  was  at  length  prevailed  upon  to  recall 
the  inhabitants,  making  many  fair  promises  as  to 
the  future  administration  of  justice.  But  the 
people,  having  been  often  deceived,  refused  to  re- 


58      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

turn.  The  Rajah  then  asked  Mr.  Schwartz  to 
use  his  influence  to  his  end,  and  such  was  the 
confidence  of  the  people  in  the  integrity  of  the 
missionary  that  7,000  returned  in  a  single  day. 

Mr.  Schwartz  had  a  heart  full  of  love  for  chil- 
dren and  some  of  the  most  beautiful  letters  from 
his  pen  which  have  been  preserved,  are  letters  to 
the  children  of  some  of  his  friends.  For  several 
years  he  had  acted  the  part  of  a  father  to  the 
eldest  son  of  his  friend,  the  Rev.  John  KolhofiE 
of  Tranquebar.  The  boy  became  a  member  of 
Mr.  Schwartz's  household  when  eight  years  of 
age  and  received  from  his  foster-father  the  most 
tender  care.  He  was  carefully  educated  and  pre- 
pared to  take  part  in  the  work  of  evangelization, 
for,  to  the  joy  of  his  foster-father,  young  KolhoflF 
desired  to  consecrate  his  life  to  this  service. 

In  the  year  1786,  Mr.  Schwartz  desired  the 
Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  to 
place  the  name  of  his  foster  son  on  the  list  of 
their  missionaries,  and  asked  also  that  he  might 
be  made  his  successor  in  the  Tanjore  mission. 
The  young  man  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the 
Gospel  ministry  in  the  New  Jerusalem  Church  of 
Tranquebar  in  the  presence  of  a  large  European 
and  native  congregation. 

While  Mr.  Schwartz  was  in  Tranquebar  in  at- 
tendance upon  the  ordination  services,  an  incident 
occurred  at  the  court  of  Tanjore  which  called  the 
missionary  to  take  a  prominent  part  in  the  affairs 
of  the  Kingdom.     The  Rajah,  having  no  heir  to 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  59 

succeed  him,  adopted  the  child  of  a  cousin,  a  boy 
ten  years  of  age,  as  his  heir.  He  gave  him  the 
name  of  Serfojee,  asked  the  EngUsh  Govern- 
ment to  extend  to  this  son  of  his  adoption,  the 
favour  and  protection  which  he  had  enjoyed,  and 
when  Mr.  Schv*^artz  returned  from  Tranquebar, 
the  Rajah  sent  for  him  and  requested  him  to  be- 
come the  guardian  of  the  boy. 

The  missionary,  however,  felt  that  he  could  not 
undertake  so  responsible  a  charge,  because  of 
complications  that  would  inevitably  arise,  and  he 
advised  the  Rajah  to  intrust  the  child  to  his  half- 
brother  Ameer  Singh.  This  was  accordingly  done 
and  Ameer  Singh  was  also  appointed  Regent  dur- 
ing the  minority  of  his  ward.  Two  days  after 
these  arrangements  had  been  made  the  Rajah  died 
and  Ameer  Singh  was  formally  inducted  into  the 
duties  of  his  new  office.  He  was  not  long  con- 
tent, however  to  act  merely  as  Regent.  He  wished 
to  be  placed  on  the  throne  as  Rajah,  and  in  order 
to  reach  the  coveted  position  the  claims  of  Ser- 
fojee, must  be  set  aside.  This  was  finally  accom- 
plished and  Ameer  Singh  installed  as  Rajah. 

Under  the  new  rule  the  Kingdom  did  not  pros- 
per, and  the  Court  of  Directors  in  England  urged 
Mr.  Schwartz  to  see  that  plans  of  reform  which 
he  himself  had  suggested  were  carried  out.  He 
was  now  sixty-five  years  of  age  and  shrank  from 
undertaking  such  heavy  responsibilities,  but  felt 
that  he  could  not  conscientiously  decline,  especially 
as  this  new  sphere  of  usefulness  would  furnish 


6o      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

new  and  wider  opportunities  for  making  Christ 
known. 

Mr.  Schwartz,  when  declining  to  take  the  sole 
guardianship  of  Serfojee,  had  promised  the  Rajah 
to  promote  his  welfare  by  every  means  in  his 
power.  When,  therefore,  he  ascertained  that 
Ameer  Singh  was  treating  his  ward  as  a  prisoner 
and  wholly  neglecting  his  education  he  felt  con- 
strained to  appeal  to  the  British  authorities,  who 
enjoined  him,  in  conjunction  with  the  English 
Resident,  to  make  suitable  provision  for  the  young 
Prince.  He  was  eventually  removed  to  Madras 
where  his  safety  and  comfort  would  be  assured. 
Mr.  Schwartz  accompanied  his  royal  charge  to 
the  Capital,  and  remained  with  him  several 
months.  During  this  period,  he  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  give  wise  counsel  and  faithful  Christian 
instruction  to  Serfojee.  '*  Be  not  ashamed  to  ask 
the  help  of  God,"  he  said  to  the  Prince  on  one 
occasion,  "  for  He  alone  can  do  all  for  you."  On 
his  return  to  Tan j ore,  he  left  as  the  Christian 
instructor  and  chief  adviser  of  Serfojee  the  Rev. 
Christian  William  Gericke;  but  he  kept  himself 
well  informed  in  regard  to  all  that  concerned  the 
young  Prince. 

Mr.  Schwartz  rejoiced  that  he  was  able  now 
to  occupy  himself  wholly  with  the  duties  of  his 
sacred  office  and  in  his  varied  labours,  he  found 
a  faithful  coadjutor  in  his  foster-son,  the  Rev. 
Caspar  Kolhoff . 

Toward  the  close  of  1797,  a  serious  illness  came 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  6i 

upon  him,  advancing  years  however  began  to  tell 
and  when  it  became  evident  to  his  friends  that  the 
end  was  not  far  distant,  being  himself  aware  of 
his  critical  condition,  Mr.  Schwartz  expressed  a 
desire  to  see  Serfojee  once  more.  The  young 
Prince  made  haste  to  obey  the  summons.  On  his 
arrival,  the  dying  saint,  with  great  tenderness 
and  impressiveness,  gave  his  last  advice  to  the 
weeping  Prince.  He  charged  him  to  govern  his 
life  according  to  the  precepts  which  he  had  on 
previous  occasions  made  known  to  him.  He  urged 
him,  when  he  should  come  into  possession  of  his 
Kingdom,  to  abstain  from  extravagant  and  sen- 
sual indulgences,  and  to  walk  in  humility,  as  this 
would  be  pleasing  to  God.  He  charged  him  to 
seek  in  every  laudable  way  to  promote  the  pros- 
perity of  his  subjects.  He  asked  that  the  Chris- 
tian community  be  protected  against  oppression, 
and  left  undisturbed  in  the  free  exercise  of  their 
religious  rights.  Then  raising  his  hands  toward 
heaven,  as  if  in  prayer,  he  said,  "  My  last  and 
most  earnest  wish  is  that  God  in  His  infinite 
mercy,  may  graciously  regard  you  and  lead  your 
heart  and  soul  to  Christ  that  I  may  meet  you 
again,  as  His  true  disciple  before  His  throne." 
This  interview  with  the  Prince  took  place  on 
the  23rd  of  November.  The  aged  sufferer  rallied 
for  a  time  and  on  Christm:as  day  was  able  to  at- 
tend church.  On  the  2nd  of  February  his  dear 
friend  Gericke  arrived  from  Madras  and  the  two 
friends  took  sweet  counsel  together. 


//T^,^ 


62       Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

On  the  13th  of  February,  feeling  that  the  end 
was  near,  the  aged  pilgrim  called  to  his  bedside, 
Mr.  Kolhofif,  and  with  great  tenderness  and 
solemnity,  gave  him  his  paternal  blessing  and  of- 
fered a  brief  and  touching  prayer.  He  exhorted 
his  missionary  brethren  who  were  gathered 
around  him  to  make  the  duties  of  their  office  their 
chief  care  and  concern,  joined  his  voice  with 
theirs  in  singing  a  hymn,  and  calmly  entered  into 
rest. 

All  the  following  night  the  sound  of  weeping 
was  heard  from  the  Christian  villages  in  the 
vicinity.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  day  succeeding 
his  death,  the  mortal  remains  were  carried  to  the 
chapel  near  the  mission  dwelling  and  laid  in  a 
grave  before  the  altar.  Serfojee  came  to  look  once 
more  upon  the  beloved  face,  before  the  grave  hid 
it  from  view.  He  shed  many  tears  and  covered 
the  casket  with  a  rich,  gold  cloth.  Mr.  Gericke 
conducted  the  funeral  service  and  the  Prince  re- 
mained to  the  close. 

On  the  stone  above  the  resting-place  of  the 
revered  missionary  is  the  following  inscription : 

Sacred  to  the  Memory  of 
The  Rev.   Christian   Frederic   Schwartz, 

Missionary  to  the  Honorable 

Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge, 

in   London ; 

Who  departed  this  life  on  the 

13th  of  February,  1798, 

Aged  seventy-one  years  and  four  months. 


Christian  Frederick  Schwartz  6^ 

To  this  inscription,  Serfojee  caused  the  follow- 
ing lines  of  his  own  composition,  to  be  added : 

Firm  wast  thou,  humble  and  wise, 
Honest,  pure,  free  from  disguise, 
Father  of  orphans,  the  widow's  support. 
Comfort  in  sorrow  of  every  sort. 
To  the  benighted,  dispenser  of  light, 
Doing,  and  pointing  to  that  which  is  right. 
Blessing  to  princes,  to  people,  to  me ; 
May  I,  my  father,  be  worthy  of  thee ! 
Wisheth  and  prayeth  thy  Sarabojee. 

In  the  month  of  June  following  the  death  of 
Mr.  Schwartz,  Ameer  Singh  was  formally  de- 
posed and  the  young  prince,  Serfojee  proclaimed 
Rajah.  Placed  in  a  position  of  authority  and  re- 
sponsibility, he  showed  that  he  had  not  been  un- 
mindful of  the  instructions  and  admonitions  of 
his  friend  and  adviser;  but  he  did  not  relinquish 
idolatry. 

Three  years  after  the  death  of  the  venerable 
missionary,  the  Rajah  sent  a  letter  written  with 
his  own  hand  to  the  Society  for  Promoting  Chris- 
tian Knowledge,  requesting  the  Society  to  arrange 
at  his  expense  for  a  monument  of  marble  "  to  per- 
petuate the  memory  of  the  late  Father  Schwartz 
and  to  manifest  the  great  esteem  felt  for  that 
great  and  good  man  and  the  gratitude  due  to 
him.  I  wish  the  monument  to  be  erected,"  wrote 
the  Prince,  "  in  the  church  which  is  in  my  capital 
and  residency." 


64      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

In  accordance  with  the  wishes  of  the  Rajah,  a 
beautiful  monument  was  prepared  by  Flaxman, 
representing  in  basso-reHevo,  the  death-bed  scene 
of  the  departing  missionary.  For  some  time  after 
its  arrival,  the  Rajah  kept  the  monument  in  his 
palace,  but  it  was  eventually  removed  to  the 
church  in  the  fort,  the  Western  end  of  which  it 
still  adorns.  For  many  years  the  Rajah  paid  a 
daily  visit  to  the  fort  to  gaze  upon  this  monu- 
ment, recalling,  as  it  did,  his  last  interview  with 
one  to  whom  he  felt  that  he  was  deeply  indebted. 

The  Rajah  Serfojee  rejoiced  in  being  the  first 
to  do  honour  to  the  memory  of  Mr.  Schwartz,  by 
giving  orders  for  the  erection  of  a  monument. 
The  Directors  of  the  East  India  Company  were 
equally  anxious  to  mark  the  high  sense  they  en- 
tertained of  his  public  and  private  worth,  by  send- 
ing out  to  Madras  a  beautiful  monument  to  be 
erected  in  the  church  in  the  fort  of  St.  George  in 
that  city.  But  the  missions  founded  by  Mr. 
Schwartz  and  the  congregations  gathered  through 
his  zealous  labours,  were  nobler  monuments  to  his 
memory  than  the  most  costly  memorials  of  marble. 


Ill 


WILLIAM  CAREY,  JOSHUA  MARSHMAN 
AND  WILLIAM  WARD, 

THE   SERAMPORE   MISSIONARIES 
I793-1837 

On  the  right  bank  of  the  river  Hugli,  sixteen 
miles  above  Calcutta,  is  the  town  of  Serampore. 
Here  the  Danes  for  trading  purposes,  acquired  by 
purchase  from  the  native  owners,  twenty  acres 
of  land,  and  on  the  8th  of  October,  1755,  Danish 
officers  bearing  a  commission  from  Tranquebar, 
raised  the  Danish  flag  over  the  newly  acquired 
possession,  and  there  for  ninety  years  it  con- 
tinued to  float.  One  of  the  early  governors  of 
this  new  settlement  was  Colonel  Bie,  who  while 
an  official  of  the  Danish  Government  at  Tranque- 
bar, had  enjoyed  the  ministry  of  Christian  Frede- 
rick Schwartz,  and  had  imbibed  so  much  of  the 
missionary  spirit  that  when  the  British  East  India 
Company  absolutely  refused  to  permit  missionary 
work  in  their  domains  he  did  not  hesitate  to  re- 
ceive under  his  protection  the  men  whom  during 
those  very  years  God  had  been  raising  up  to  do 
valiant  service  for  Him  in  India.  Thus  the  work 
of  that  early  Danish  Tamil  mission  furnished  the 
65 


66      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

basis  for  the  commencement  of  what  are  often 
known  as  Modern  Missions  in  the  East.  To 
Ziegenbalg  and  Schwartz,  Carey,  Marshman  and 
Ward  owed  their  home  at  Serampore. 

While  these  preparations  were  being  made  in 
India,  God  was  raising  up  in  three  rural  homes  in 
England  the  men  whose  names  have  been  asso- 
ciated with  Serampore.  William  Carey,  Joshua 
Marshman  and  William  Ward  were  born  in  the 
same  decade  that  placed  Colonel  Bie  as  governor 
of  Serampore. 

William  Carey,  who  was  both  the  oldest  in 
years  and  the  first  to  enter  the  field,  was  born 
on  the  17th  of  August,  1761,  in  the  village 
of  Pury,  or  Pauberspury,  in  Northamptonshire, 
where  his  father  was  parish  clerk  and  village 
school-master;  and  the  boy,  who  at  a  very  early 
age  evinced  a  taste  for  learning,  was  a  diligent 
pupil  in  his  father's  school.  The  family  was  poor 
and  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  William,  who  was 
the  eldest  of  five  children,  was  apprenticed  to  a 
shoemaker  in  the  neighbouring  village  of  Hackle- 
ton./  He  was  delighted  to  find  in  the  shop  of 
his  master,  a  small  collection  of  books,  among 
which  was  a  commentary  on  the  New  Testament 
interspersed  with  Greek  words.  These  the  young 
apprentice  copied  out  with  great  care  and  when- 
ever he  paid  a  visit  to  his  father,  carried  the  list 
to  a  journeyman  weaver,  living  in  the  vicinity, 
who  had  received  a  classical  education,  and  from 
him  learned  the  letters  of  the  Greek  alphabet  and 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  67 

the  translation  of  the  words.  In  the  same  way 
he  began  the  study  of  Latin ;  while  from  a  neigh- 
bouring parish  minister  he  took  his  first  lessons 
in  Hebrew. 

Two  years  after  the  beginning  of  young  Carey's 
apprenticeship,  his  master  died  and  he  then  en- 
gaged himself  as  a  journeyman  shoemaker  to  a 
Mr.  Old.  As  son  of  the  parish  clerk,  he  was 
brought  up  as  a  Churchman  and  was  in  due  time 
confirmed  but  through  the  teaching  of  a  pious 
fellow-workman,  he  was  led  to  feel  that  he  had 
not  been  converted,  and  began  to  study  the  Scrip- 
tures diligently  and  to  pray  for  a  new  heart. 
When  filled  himself  with  joy  and  peace  in  believ- 
ing, he  desired  to  be  used  in  bringing  others  to  a 
knowledge  of  the  Saviour,  and  to  help  in  prepara- 
tion for  such  a  work,  he  began  a  systematic  read- 
ing of  the  Bible  in  Greek,  Hebrew  and  Latin  as 
well  as  English. 

At  eighteen  years  of  age,  Mr.  Carey  made  his 
first  appearance  in  the  pulpit,  although,  as  he 
afterwards  acknowledged,  he  felt  himself  '*  very 
poorly  furnished  for  such  a  service."  On  the 
death  of  Mr.  Old,  he  succeeded  to  the  business 
and  married  the  sister  of  his  former  master  before 
he  was  twenty  years  of  age.  The  marriage  was 
an  uncongenial  one  as  Mrs.  Carey  had  no  sym- 
pathy with  the  aspirations  of  her  husband.  Soon 
after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Carey  was  invited  to 
preach  regularly  to  a  small  congregation  at  EarFs; 
Barton,  and  in  this  place,  for  three  and  a  half 


68      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

years  he  preached  on  the  Sabbath  and  worked 
dihgently  at  his  cobbler's  stall  during  the  week. 
At  the  same  time  he  neglected  no  opportunity  for 
the  improvement  of  his  mind.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-four  he  accepted  the  ministerial  charge  of 
a  small  Baptist  church  at  Moulton.  The  salary 
promised  was  quite  insufficient  for  the  support 
of  his  family,  but  he  hoped  to  supplement  this 
by  teaching  a  small  school.  The  school,  however 
did  not  prove  a  success  and  he  was  obliged  to 
return  to  "  his  last  and  his  leather." 

Cook's  "  Voyages  Around  the  World,"  about 
this  time  came  into  the  possession  of  the  young 
minister  and  possessed  for  him  a  marvellous  fas- 
cination. He  learned  to  dwell  more  and  more  on 
the  spiritual  degradation  of  a  large  part  of  the 
world's  inhabitants.  The  Rev.  Andrew  Fuller, 
destined  to  be  closely  associated  with  Mr.  Carey 
in  the  cause  of  missions,  has  related  that  on  one 
occasion,  entering  the  Httle  shop,  he  saw,  hanging 
on  the  wall,  a  large  map  composed  of  several 
sheets  pasted  together,  on  which  Mr.  Carey  had 
written  against  each  country  whatever  informa- 
tion he  had  been  able  to  collect  in  reference  to  the 
population,  religion  and  government. 

To  his  disappointment  he  found  few  ready  to 
share  his  convictions  that  it  was  the  duty  of  Chris- 
tians to  send  the  Gospel  to  the  unevangelised. 
At  a  ministerial  meeting  in  Northampton,  Mr. 
Ryland,  senior,  invited  the  young  men  in  the  audi- 
ence to  propose  some  subject  for  discussion.    Mr. 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  69 

Carey  rose  and  proposed,  "  the  duty  of  Christians 
to  attempt  the  spread  of  the  Gospel  among  heathen 
nations." 

As  soon  as  he  had  sufficiently  recovered  from 
his  astonishment,  Mr.  Ryland  rose  and  in  an 
agitated  voice  said,  "  young  man,  sit  down. 
When  God  pleases  to  convert  the  heathen  He 
will  do  it  without  your  aid  or  mine.'' 

When  twenty-eight  years  of  age  Mr.  Carey 
removed  to  Leicester,  to  take  charge  of  a  small 
church  in  that  place.  While  in  Leicester  he  pre- 
pared a  treatise  entitled  "  An  Inquiry  on  Mis- 
sions." A  friend  contributed  £10  for  the  printing 
of  this  paper  which  still  holds  a  high  rank  as  a 
missionary  treatise. 

On  the  31st  of  May,  1792,  at  a  minister's  meet- 
ing in  Nottingham,  Mr.  Carey  preached  a  ser- 
mon which  doubtless  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
Baptist  Mission  in  India.  Announcing  Isaiah 
54:  2,  3,  as  his  text  he  drew  from  this  portion  of 
Scripture  these  two  great  lessons,  which  have 
since  become  missionary  maxims :  *'  Expect  GreatW 
Things  from  God.  Attempt  Great  Things  fori 
GodJ  At  the  close  of  this  very  impressive  serv--^ 
ice,  as  Mr.  Carey  saw  the  audience  about  to  \ 
disperse,  he  grasped  the  hand  of  ]Mr.  Fuller  and  j 
in  a  tone  of  great  concern,  asked  if  they  **  were 
again  going  away  without  doing  anything." 

The  result  of  this  anxious  appeal  was  the  fol- 
lowing resolution :  "  That  a  plan  be  proposed 
against  the  next  ijiinister's  meeting  in  Kettering 


70      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

for  the  estabhshment  of  a  society  for  propagat- 
ing the  Gospel  among  the  heathen."  The  meet- 
ing at  Kettering  was  held  on  the  2nd  of  October, 
1792.  At  its  close  a  committee  of  five  was  ap- 
pointed, of  which  Mr.  Carey  was  one.  The  Rev. 
Andrew  Fuller  was  appointed  Secretary.  The 
collection  taken  up  on  this  occasion  in  aid  of  the 
cause  of  Foreign  Missions  amounted  to  £13.  2s. 
and  6d.  Mr.  Carey  at  once  offered  to  go  at  the 
earliest  opportunity  to  any  country  designated  by 
the  committee. 

Outside  the  infant  society,  the  project,  with  few 
exceptions  was  treated  with  contempt.  Referring 
to  the  feeling  manifested  at  this  period.  Arch- 
deacon Farrar  in  an  address  on  the  subject  of 
Missions  in  Westminster  Abbey,  in  March,  1B87, 
said,  **  those  who  in  that  day,  sneered  that  Eng- 
land had  sent  a  cobbler  to  convert  the  world,  were 
the  direct  lineal  descendants  of  those  who  sneered 
in  Palestine,  2,000  years  ago,  *  is  not  this  the 
carpenter  ?  ' " 

The  minds  of  the  committee  were  turned  to 
India  by  the  return  to  England  of  Mr.  John 
Thomas,  who  had  gone  out  to  Calcutta  several 
years  before  as  a  surgeon.  Being  a  good  man, 
his  heart  had  been  stirred  within  him  when  he  saw 
the  land  wholly  given  to  idolatry,  and  he  had 
tried  to  make  Christ  known.  The  infant  society 
decided  to  invite  Mr.  Thomas  to  unite  with  them 
and  if  possible,  to  procure  a  companion  in  labour 
to  accompany  him  to  India.     Mr.  Carey  at  once 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  71 

offered  himself  as  a  fellow-worker.  **  We  saw," 
said  Mr.  Fuller,  "  that  there  was  a  gold  mine  in 
India,  but  it  was  deep  as  the  centre  of  the  earth. 
Who  will  venture  to  explore  it?"  ''I  will  ven- 
ture to  go  down,"  said  Mr.  Carey,  "  but  remem- 
ber that  you,"  turning  to  Air.  Fuller  and  other 
members  of  the  committee,  ''  must  hold  the 
ropes." 

On  the  loth  of  January,  1793,  Messrs.  Carey  1 
and  Thomas  were  appointed  missionaries  to  the^ 
East  Indies.  Mrs.  Carey  declined  to  accompany 
her  husband,  but  unwilling  to  relinquish  the 
project,  Mr.  Carey  resolved  to  take  with  him  one 
of  their  sons  and  to  return  for  his  family  as  soon 
as  the  mission  was  established.  While  waiting  to 
complete  necessary  arrangements,  Mr.  Carey  met 
at  Hull,  Mr.  William  Ward,  printer  and  news- 
paper editor.  *'  If  the  Lord  bless  us,"  Mr.  Carey 
said  to  his  new  acquaintance,  ''  we  shall  want  a 
person  of  your  business,  to  enable  us  to  print  the 
Scriptures.    I  hope  you  will  come  after  us." 

At  this  time  all  Europeans  not  in  public  serv- 
ice were  forbidden  to  set  foot  in  the  Company's 
territories  in  India  without  special  license ;  but  a 
ship's  captain  with  whom  Mr.  Thomas  had  twice 
sailed  as  surgeon,  offered  to  take  the  party  with- 
out license.  The  passage  money  had  been  paid 
and  the  two  missionaries  were  actually  on  board 
when  the  captain  received  a  letter  warning  him 
against  taking  out  passengers  without  the  required 
permission.    With  eyes  filled  with  tears  Mr.  Carey 


72      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

saw  the  Indian  fleet  sail  away  without  him.  But 
feeling  a  strong  confidence  that  the  Lord  would 
yet  open  the  way  for  the  departure  of  His  serv- 
ants, he  left  his  luggage  at  Portsmouth,  and  ac- 
companied Mr.  Thomas  to  London.  Going  into 
a  coffee-house  for  some  needed  refreshments,  one 
of  the  waiters  put  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Thomas, 
a  card  bearing  the  announcement  that  a  Danish 
East  Indiaman  was  about  to  sail  for  India.  Has- 
tening at  once  to  the  office  they  learned  that  the 
terms  were  £icx)  for  each  adult  and  £50  for  each 
child. 

Another  attempt  was  now  made  to  persuade 
Mrs.  Carey  to  accompany  her  husband.  This  she 
finally  consented  to  do,  but  stipulated  that  her 
sister,  Miss  Old  should  accompany  her.  The 
party  would  therefore  consist  of  four  adults  and 
five  children.  The  captain,  on  being  made  ac- 
quainted with  the  circumstances,  agreed  to  re- 
ceive the  entire  party  for  £300. 

They  embarked  on  the  13th  of  June,  1793,  and 
the  voyage  lasted  five  months.  On  their  arrival 
in  Calcutta  a  house  was  secured  and  Mr.  Carey 
at  once  began  the  study  of  the  language.  But  ere 
long,  it  was  decided  that  he  with  his  family  should 
move  to  the  Sunderbunds,  the  name  given  to  the 
marshy  jungles  facing  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  and 
there  cultivate  a  tract  of  land  which  he  could 
obtain  free  of  rent.  Mr.  Carey  hoped  thus  to  pro- 
vide for  his  family  while  pursuing  his  studies. 
The  place  selected  for  the  new  home  was  on  the 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  73 

river  Hugli,  about  forty  miles  from  Calcutta.  A 
hospitable  English  gentleman  in  charge  of  the 
Government  salt  manufactory  in  this  wild  spot, 
received  the  entire  party  into  his  own  bungalow, 
until  the  bamboo  structure  which  Mr.  Carey  at 
once  commenced  to  build  was  ready  for  occu- 
pancy. Their  kind  host  was  a  deist  and  professed 
to  feel  no  sympathy  with  Mr.  Carey  in  his  desire 
to  give  religious  instruction  to  the  people.  He, 
however,  eventually  renounced  his  infidel  views, 
embraced  Christianity  and  married  Miss  Old. 

Mr.  Carey  was  not  long  in  learning  that  the 
place  he  had  selected  was  not  favourable  for  mis- 
sionary enterprise.     Relief  came  to  him  from  an 
unexpected  quarter   in  the  midst  of  great  per- 
plexity.    Mr.  George  Udney,  a  man  of  decided  ^ 
Christian  character  offered  Mr.  Carey  the  super- 
intendence of  his  indigo  factory  at  Mudnabutty. 
The  superintendence  of  a  second  factory  was  of-  ^ 
fered  to  Mr.  Thomas,  each  to  receive  a  salary  of  1 
£250  a  year.     The  proposal  was  gratefully  ac-  ^ 
cepted.  Mr.  Carey  reached  his  new  field  of  labour 
on  the  15th  of  June,  1794,  and  remained  there  a 
little  more  than  five  years. 

About  ninety  native  workmen  were  employed 
in  the  factory,  to  whom  he  gave  Christian  instruc- 
tion. Mr.  Udney  fully  understood  that  Mr.  Carey 
was  before  all  a  Christian  missionary,  and  was 
himself  deeply  interested  in  the  prosecution  of 
this  work.  From  the  factory,  about  two  hundred 
villages  could  be  reached,  and  Mr.  Carey  went 


74      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

from  village  to  village  preaching  the  Gospel,  re- 
cru  ting  his  Sabbath  congregations  from  them. 

"-'he  situation  of  the  factory  proved  unhealthy 
and  the  family  suffered  much  from  sickness.  One 
of  the  sons  died  of  fever.  Grief  at  her  loss  un- 
balanced the  mind  of  the  mother  and  from  this 
time  until  her  death  in  December,  1807,  it  was 
necessary  to  keep  her  under  restraint.  In  the 
midst  of  circumstances  so  afflictive,  Mr.  Carey 
continued  his  labours.  Side  by  side  with  his  public 
ministrations  and  private  instruction,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  his  oversight  of  the  indigo  factory,  the 
work  of  translating  the  Scriptures  into  Bengali, 
was  carried  on.  When  it  was  so  far  advanced 
that  printing  could  be  commenced  he  made  a  visit 
to  Calcutta  to  obtain  estimates  for  printing,  and 
learned  that  a  wooden  printing-press  was  for  sale. 
He  decided  to  purchase  it,  but  Mr.  Udney  asked 
to  be  allowed  to  pay  for  it,  and  presented  it  to  the 
mission.  When  it  was  set  up  in  one  of  the  rooms 
of  the  factory  at  Mudnabutty,  the  natives  declared 
that  this  must  be  the  idol  of  the  Europeans. 

It  was  in  March,  1799,  as  Mr.  Carey  was  re- 
vi, turning  from  Calcutta,  that  he  saw  for  the  first 
.  time,  a  widow  burned  alive  with  the  dead  body 
of  her  husband,  and  from  this  time,  he  ceased  not 
to  use  every  possible  influence,  by  appeals  in  India 
and  in  England,  until  the  horrid  rite  was  abolished 
by  law. 

Near  the  end  of  1799,  Mr.  Udney  was  forced 
to  abandon  the   manufacture  of   indigo,   as   the 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  75 

enterprise  had  proved  financially  a  failure  and  Mr. 
Carey  was  therefore  obliged  to  seek  another  resi- 
dence and  occupation.  Perhaps  the  pre  .pect, 
momentarily  seemed  dark,  but  succour  was  near, 
In  quick  succession,  four  young  men  in  England 
had  offered  themselves  to  the  Baptist  Missionary 
Society,  to  go  out  to  India.  They  were  William 
Ward,  whom  Carey  himself  had  called,  Joshua 
Marshman  and  Messrs.  Brunsdon  and  Grant. 

William  Ward  was  born  in  Derby  on  the  20th 
of  October,  1769.  He  was  early  left  without  a 
father,  and  on  his  mother,  a  woman  of  rare  in- 
telligence and  ardent  piety,  devolved  the  care  and 
education  of  the  boy.  He  was  thoughtful  beyond 
his  years  and  no  opportunity  for  mental  improve- 
ment was  neglected.  On  leaving  school  he  was 
apprenticed  to  a  Mr.  Drury  who  was  at  the  head 
of  a  large  printing  establishment.  William  began 
now  to  write  as  well  as  read  and  soon  acquired 
great  facility  of  expression.  At  the  close  of  his 
apprenticeship,  on  behalf  of  Mr.  Drury,  he  edited 
the  "  Derby  Mercury"  so  successfully  that  this 
journal  soon  became  one  of  the  most  influential 
papers  in  the  county,  and  six  years  were  spent  in 
the  keenest  editorial  excitement.  In  1797,  Mr. 
Ward  laid  aside  journalism  and  began  to  make 
diligent  preparation  for  the  work  of  making 
known  the  Gospel  to  his  fellowmen.  The  follow- 
ing year  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety visited  Ewood  Hall,  where  he  was  pursuing 
his  studies,  in  search  of  labourers  to  join  Mr.  Carey 


76      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

in  India.  Mr.  Ward  offered  himself  to  the  society 
in  the  hope  that  he  might  be  employed  in  print- 
ing the  Scriptures  and  was  at  once  accepted. 

Joshua  Marshman  was  born  in  Westbury 
Leigh,  in  Williston,  on  the  2Qth  of  April,  1768. 
His  father,  John  Marshman,  was  a  weaver,  a 
man  of  fervent  piety  and  his  mother  was  a  woman 
of  superior  mental  gifts,  as  well  as  of  deep 
spirituality.  When  fifteen  years  old,  a  bookseller 
in  Holborn,  who  had  formerly  resided  in  West- 
bury  Leigh,  proposed  to  Mr.  Marshman  that 
his  son  should  come  to  the  metropolis  and  help 
in  his  shop.  Joshua,  who  was  passionately  fond 
of  reading  was  now  in  a  congenial  atmosphere, 
but  he  soon  found  that  his  duties  left  him  little 
leisure.  The  drudgery  of  walking  the  streets  sev- 
eral hours  each  day,  carrying  heavy  packages  of 
books  soon  became  intolerable.  On  one  occasion, 
Weary  and  discouraged,  as  he  reached  Westminster 
Abbey,  he  laid  down  his  load,  buried  his  face  in 
his  hands  and  burst  into  passionate  weeping,  as 
he  thought  that  perhaps  there  was  before  him,  no 
brighter  future  than  that  of  a  bookseller's  appren- 
tice. Then  raising  his  tear-stained  face,  he  saw 
within  the  portals  of  the  venerable  pile,  the  monu- 
ments rising  in  solemn  beauty  there  and  he  said  to 
himself  '*  the  men  who  have  found  a  resting-place 
here,  fought  bravely  the  battle  of  life  and  won, 
and  so  will  I."  He  then  took  up  the  burden  he 
had  laid  down  with  so  heavy  a  heart  and  walked 
on  with  new  courage.    At  the  end  of  five  months 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  77 

he  returned  to  his  rural  home  and  took  his  place 
at  his  father's  loom.  He  had  now  leisure  for 
reading  and  before  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age, 
he  had  read  more  than  five  hundred  books. 
Among  his  acquaintances  he  found  little  sym- 
pathy with  his  aspirations  after  knowledge.  When 
he  sought  admission  to  the  church  he  was  met 
with  the  objection  that  he  had  too  much  head- 
knowledge  of  religion  to  have  much  heart-knowl- 
edge of  its  truths. 

In  the  year  1791,  Mr.  Marshman  was  married 
to  Hannah  Shephard,  a  lady  who  possessed  in  an 
eminent  degree  those  qualities  of  heart  and  mind 
which  fitted  her  to  be  a  help-meet  to  her  husband. 
Three  years  after  his  marriage,  he  accepted  the 
position  of  master  of  a  school  in  Broadmead,  Bris- 
tol, and  here  he  laboured  successfully  for  five  years. 
Reading  with  ever-increasing  interest  the  accounts 
of  the  mission  work  in  India  and  the  spiritual 
needs  of  that  vast  field,  he  resolved  to  offer  his 
services  to  the  Baptist  Society.  He  was  accepted 
and  made  hasty  preparations  to  join  the  party 
about  to  sail  for  India,  Messrs.  Ward,  Grant  and 
Brunsdon.  After  a  voyage  of  five  months,  the 
vessel  came  to  anchor  on  the  5th  of  October,  1799. 
Captain  Wickes  sent  the  mission  party  in  his 
boats  to  Serampore.  Two  members  of  this  party, 
Messrs.  Grant  and  Brunsdon,  men  of  great  zeal 
and  much  promise,  were  early  removed  by  death. 

On  their  arrival  the  Danish  Governor,  Colonel 
Bie,  gave  to  the  strangers  all  the  help  in  his  power 


78      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

and  gladly  consented  to  the  establishment  of  a 
mission  in  the  settlement  of  Serampore.  It  was 
accordingly  decided  that  Mr.  Ward  with  a  Dan- 
ish passport  should  visit  Mr.  Carey  at  Mudnabutty 
and  confer  with  him  upon  the  subject  of  his  re- 
moval to  Serampore  and  the  establishment  of  a 
mission  there  embracing  various  departments  of 
work.  The  proposal  met  with  Mr.  Carey's  ap- 
proval; on  the  loth  of  January,  1800,  he  took 
up  his  residence  in  Serampore,  and  the  work  of 
Ziegenbalg  and  Schwartz  received  a  new  im- 
pulse. 

The  missionaries  determined  to  form  a  common 
stock  and  to  dine  at  a  common  table.  A  house 
was  purchased  near  the  river  side  with  a  plot  of 
ground  walled  around.  In  the  centre  of  the  house 
was  a  spacious  hall  which  was  devoted  to  public 
worship,  while  a  large  storehouse  within  the  in- 
closure  was  fitted  up  for  a  printing-office,  and  the 
wooden  press  brought  from  Mudnabutty  was  set 
up.  With  the  exception  of  two  books  of  the  Old 
Testament  Mr.  Carey  had  completed  the  trans- 
lation of  the  entire  Bible  in  Bengali,  and  it  was 
resolved  to  begin  with  the  printing  of  the  New 
(Testament.  The  24th  of  April  was  appointed  as 
a  day  of  thanksgiving  for  the  establishment  of  the 
mission  under  circumstances  so  favourable.  On 
the  same  day  a  church  was  organised.  In  May 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Marshman  opened  two  boarding- 
schools,  having  in  view  not  only  the  education  of 
the  children  and  youth  around  them,  but  the  earn- 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  79 

ing  of  means  to  assist  in  the  support  of  the  mis- 
sion. These  schools  soon  became  the  most  popu- 
lar and  remunerative  establishments  of  the  kind 
in  the  Presidency.  Mrs.  Marshman,  who  has 
been  called  "  the  first  woman  missionary  to 
India,"  gave  not  only  invaluable  aid  in  the  schools, 
in  the  home  and  among  the  little  band  of  Chris- 
tians, but  exerted  an  influence  for  good  in  non- 
Christian  circles  also. 

During  a  visit  made  by  Mr.  Thomas  to  Seram^  IV 
pore,  a  carpenter  belonging  to  the  town  was  Of^ 
brought  to  the  mission-house  with  a  dislocated 
arm.  After  the  physical  suffering  had  ^  been  re- 
lieved by  Mr.  Thomas,  the  ever  zealous  physician 
began  to  discourse  on  the  way  of  life  through 
Christ.  The  man  appeared  much  interested  and 
came  again  and  again  for  instruction  and  eventu- 
ally with  his  brother  and  two  of  the  women  of  the 
household,  renounced  Hinduism  and  embraced 
Christianity.  Mr.  Thomas  was  so  overjoyed,  that 
for  a  time  his  mind  lost  its  balance  and  it  became 
necessary  to  confine  him.  The  native  mob  mani- 
fested violent  opposition  when  it  became  known 
that  some  members  of  the  Hindu  community  had 
embraced  Christianity,  and  on  this  account  the 
brother  of  Krishna  and  the  two  women  decided 
to  postpone,  for  a  time,  a  public  profession  of 
their  faith  in  Christ. 

On  Sunday,  the  28th  of  December,  1800,  Mr. 
Carey  walked  down  to  the  river  that  flowed  past 
the  mission-house,  his  son  Felix  on  one  side  and 


l^ 


8o      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Krishna  on  the  other,  prepared  to  administer  the 
rite  of  baptism  to  the  two  candidates.  At  the 
steps  leading  down  to  the  water,  Governor  Bie 
waited  with  several  other  Europeans.  A  dense 
crowd  of  Hindus  and  Mohammedans,  were  as- 
sembled, but  there  was  no  disorder.  A  feeling 
of  deep  solemnity  seemed  to  pervade  the  whole 
assembly  and  Governor  Bie  shed  tears. 

On  the  7th  of  February,  1801,  the  last  sheet 
of  the  Bengali  New  Testament  issued  from  the 
press.  The  type  of  the  greater  part  of  the  sacred 
volume  had  been  set  up  by  Mr.  Ward  and  the 
work  had  been  completed  within  a  year,  though 
prosecuted  under  great  difficulties.  As  soon  as 
the  first  copy  was  bound,  it  was  placed  on  the 
communion-table  in  the  chapel  and  a  meeting  was 
held  which  was  attended  by  the  entire  mission 
family  and  the  recently  baptized  converts,  to  give 
thanks  to  God  for  the  completion  of  so  important 
a  work. 

Lord  Wellesley,  Governor-General  of  India, 
having  made  arrangements  for  the  establishment 
of  a  college  at  Fort  William,  Calcutta,  for  the 
training  of  young  English  civilians  in  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  vernaculars  of  the  country,  its  laws 
and  its  customs,  invited  Mr.  Carey  to  accept  the 
post  of  teacher  of  Bengali  in  the  new  institution. 
With  the  approval  of  his  colleagues,  he  assented, 
but  stipulated  that  he  should  be  left  entirely  free 
to  discharge  his  duties  as  a  Christian  missionary. 
He  entered  upon  his  new  post  in  May,  1801,  re- 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  8i 

ceiving  for  his  service,  a  salary  of  500  rupees  a 
month.  In  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  Andrew  Fuller,  he 
said,  "  our  school  has  increased,  and  together  with 
my  allowance  from  the  college,  will,  we  trust,  sup- 
port us  without  further  help  from  England."  In 
October  of  this  year  Mr.  Thomas  died  and  there 
remained  now  of  the  mission  band,  only  the  three 
with  whose  names  the  Christian  world  has  long 
since  grown  familiar. 

With  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Carey  to  the  col- 
lege, began  the  publication  of  books  in  the  Bengali 
language  for  use  in  the  classes.  The  compilation 
of  a  Bengali  grammar  was  at  once  undertaken 
and  other  books  rapidly  followed.  When  Mr. 
Carey  was  appointed  a  teacher  of  Sanskrit  in 
the  college,  he  immediately  began  the  compilation 
of  a  Sanskrit  grammar  for  use  in  his  classes. 

After  a  residence  of  two  years  in  Serampore 
the  missionaries  began  to  make  tours  in  the  sur- 
rounding country,  and  Krishna,  the  first  convert, 
who  had  proved  himself  admirably  fitted  for  such 
work,  accompanied  the  missionaries  on  these  evan- 
gelistic tours.  One  of  the  first  tracts  issued  by 
the  Serampore  press  fell  into  the  hands  of  Per- 
tumber  Singh,  a  man  of  the  writer  caste.  This 
man  eventually  embraced  Christianity,  and  fur- 
nished just  what  was  required,  a  superior  school- 
master for  the  vernacular  schools  which  had  been 
established.  He  afterwards  became  a  most  accept- 
able and  useful  preacher  of  the  Gospel  The  first 
Brahmin   convert   came   from   the   Sunderbunds, 


82      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

where  Mr.  Carey  began  Hfe  as  a  missionary 
farmer. 

In  April,  1803,  the  first  Christian  marriage 
among  the  converts  was  solemnized,  the  bride 
being  the  daughter  of  Krishna,  the  carpenter,  and 
the  bridegroom  the  son  of  the  first  Brahmin  con- 
vert. In  October  of  this  year,  the  missionaries 
purchased  an  acre  of  ground  where  they  might 
bury  their  dead.  Four  days  after  this  purchase 
the  first  death  in  the  Christian  community  oc- 
curred. Mr.  Marshman  was  at  the  time  alone  in 
Serampore  and  he  determined  to  improve 'the  op- 
portunity to  help  in  loosening  the  bonds  of  caste. 
A  plain  coffin  was  made  and  covered  with  white 
muslin.  When  all  was  in  readiness,  Mr.  Marsh- 
man,  Felix  Carey,  a  Christian  who  before  his 
conversion  had  been  a  Brahmin  and  a  Christian 
who  had  come  from  the  ranks  of  the  Mohamme- 
dans, lifted  the  coffin  and  bore  it  to  the  cemetery. 
The  deceased,  before  his  conversion,  had  been  a 
man  of  low  caste  and  to  see  him  thus  honoured  in 
his  burial,  was  a  lesson  not  readily  forgotten. 

The  appointment  of  Mr.  Carey  to  the  College 
of  Fort  William,  opened  the  way  for  securing  the 
assistance  required  for  the  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures into  a  large  number  of  the  languages  of  the 
East,  as  there  were  associated  with  him  in  the 
college  a  great  number  of  accomplished  Oriental 
scholars.  In  the  beginning  of  1804,  and  three 
months  before  the  establishment  of  the  Bible 
Society  in  England,  the  Serampore  missionaries 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  83 

sent  home  a  plan  which  they  had  arranged  for 
the  translation  of  the  Scriptures,  or  portions  of 
them,  into  seven  of  the  languages  of  the  East, 
explaining  that  Mr.  Carey's  connection  with  the 
college  w^ould  enable  them  to  avail  themselves  of 
the  services  of  learned  men  from  various  parts 
of  India.  A  valuable  library  of  critical  works  had 
been  collected,  and  they  had  in  Serampore  a  large 
printing  establishment  capable  of  expansion. 

Mr.  Fuller  was  deeply  interested  in  these  plans 
and  succeeded  in  raising  for  the  proposed  object 
£1300  ($6,500).  From  America  iyoo  ($3,500) 
were  sent.  It  was  even  proposed  that  a  transla- 
tion of  the  Bible  into  the  Chinese  language  be 
added  to  the  translations  attempted  and  that  with 
this  object  in  view,  Mr.  Marshman  should  enter 
upon  the  study  of  this  language.  For  fifteen 
years  he  devoted  to  the  furtherance  of  this  object 
all  the  time  that  could  be  secured  from  other  oc- 
cupations and  actually  carried  through  the  press' 
the  first  Chinese  translation  of  the  Scriptures. 
The  work  was  necessarily  very  imperfect,  but  was 
"  a  monument  of  diligence  and  perseverance  al- 
most without  a  parallel." 

In  May,  1805,  Colonel  Bie  who  had  filled  the 
office  of  Governor  for  forty  years  with  conspicu- 
ous ability  was  removed  by  death,  a  great  loss 
not  only  to  the  Danish  settlement  of  Serampore, 
but  to  the  cause  of  missions.  Lord  Wellesley,  the 
Governor-General,  who  had  aided  the  mission- 
aries by  every  means  in  his  power,  retired  from 


84      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

office  in  the  summer  of  the  same  year.  Before  his 
retirement  the  first  official  communication  on  the 
subject  of  female  immolation  was  placed  on  the 
records  of  Government.  This  paper  had  been 
most  carefully  prepared  by  the  Serampore  mis- 
sionaries, but  on  the  eve  of  retirement  of  the  Gov- 
ernor-General a  subject  involving  great  questions 
of  public  policy  could  not  receive  proper  consid- 
eration. 

Lord  Wellesley  was  succeeded  in  office  by  Lord 
Cornwallis  who  died  only  two  months  after  his 
arrival  in  Calcutta,  and  he  by  Sir  John  Barlow. 
During  his  eight  years'  tenure  of  office,  the  mis- 
sionaries encountered  more  or  less  opposition. 
/  In  May,  1806  the  first  sheet  of  the  Sanskrit 
New  Testament  was  printed  at  Serampore.  Little 
aggressive  missionary  work  could  be  done  among 
non-Christians,  as  stringent  orders  had  been 
issued  prohibiting  the  doing  of  anything  whatever 
that  might  be  regarded  as  interference  with  the  re- 
ligious prejudices  of  the  people.  The  mission- 
aries therefore  improved  the  time  by  keeping  the 
presses  in  Serampore  fully  occupied.  The  Mara- 
thi,  the  Ooriya,  the  Persian  and  the  Hindustani 
versions  of  the  New  Testament  were  put  to  press. 
The  completed  Sanskrit  Grammar  was  also  pub- 
lished. Mr.  Ward,  during  this  time  of  enforced 
inactivity  in  evangelistic  labours  outside  of  the 
Danish  settlement,  published  the  first  volume  of 
his  work  on  "  The  Habits,  Manners  and  Religion 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  85 

of  the  Hindus,"  for  which  he  had  for  many  years 
been  collecting  and  arranging  the  material. 

When  by  changes  in  the  College  of  Fort  Wil- 
liam, Mr.  Carey  was  made  a  full  professor  and 
his  salary  increased  from  500  to  1,000  rupees  per 
month,  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Fuller  in  England,  **  this 
will  be  a  great  help  to  the  mission." 

In  March,  1807,  Mr.  Carey  received  the  honor- 
ary title  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from  Brown  Uni- 
versity, U.  S.  A.,  an  illustration  of  the  interest 
just  awakening  among  the  Baptists  of  America 
even  before  the  establishment  of  a  regular  mis- 
sionary society. 

Not  long  after  the  establishment  of  the  mission  A 
at  Serampore,  Lady  Rumohr,  only  child  of  Chev-  \ 
alier  de  Rumohr,  a  woman  of  wealth  and  educa-    ! 
tion  came  to  India  in  the  hope  that  the  climate 
would  give  relief  after  years  of  invalidism.    The 
Danish  ship  in  which  she  sailed  brought  her  to 
Serampore  and  there  she  decided  to  remain.    She 
built  a  house  near  the  mission  families  and  soon 
became  deeply  interested  in  their  work.     In  the^^ 
summer  of  1808  she  became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Carey  1 
and  until  her  death,  thirteen  years  later,  he  had  ' 
a  true  home  and  a  congenial  companion.  •' 

In  July,  1807,  Lord  Minto  succeeded  Sir  George 
Barlow  as  Governor-General.  He  was  at  first 
inclined  to  follow  the  anti-missionary  policy  of 
his  predecessor,  but  on  personal  acquaintance 
with  the  missionaries  he  treated  them  with  both 


86      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

consideration  and  esteem  and  before  he  left  India 
in  1813  paid  a  generous  and  public  tribute  to  their 
personal  worth  and  exalted  labours. 

Not  long  after  the  establishment  of  the  mission 
in  Serampore,  through  the  efforts  of  the  European 
residents,  a  church  was  erected  in  which  to  hold 
English  services.  The  missionaries  were  invited 
to  hold  divine  service  in  it  and  here  for  more  than 
forty  years,  Dr.  Carey,  his  colleagues  and  their 
successors  preached  the  Gospel  ''  without  fee  or 
reward." 

In  June,  181 1,  Brown  University  followed  its 
compliment  to  Dr.  Carey  by  conferring  upon  Mr. 
Marshman  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Di- 
vinity. The  cold  season  of  this  year  was  sadly 
memorable,  for  death  entered  the  home  of  each 
of  the  mission  families.  In  March,  1812,  the 
printing  house  was  destroyed  by  fire.  The  fire 
was  discovered  at  six  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
before  Mr.  Ward  had  left  the  office,  and  every 
effort  was  made  to  check  the  progress  of  the 
flames,  but  at  midnight  the  roof  fell  in.  The  value 
of  the  property  destroyed  was.  estimated  at  £7,000, 
but  the  loss  of  the  great  number  of  copies  of  the 
Scriptures  and  of  valuable  manuscripts  far  out- 
weighed the  monetary  loss.  Early  on  the  morn- 
ing following  the  fire,  Dr.  Marshman  went  to  Cal- 
cutta to  break  to  Dr.  Carey  as  gently  as  he  could, 
the  news  of  the  great  disaster.  When  the  two 
returned  to  Serampore  on  the  evening  of  the  same 
day,  they  were  rejoiced  to  learn  from  Mr.  Ward 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  87 

that  the  printing-press  had  been  saved  and  that 
the  punches  and  matrices  were  uninjured ;  and 
this  discovery  led  the  undaunted  missionaries  to 
attempt  an  early  renewal  of  their  labours  in  this 
department. 

A  building  on  the  premises  more  spacious  than 
the  one  that  had  been  destroyed  had  just  been 
vacated  and  this  they  resolved  to  occupy  as  their 
printing-house.  The  melted  lead  gathered  from 
the  ruins  was  turned  over  to  the  type-casters  who 
worked  in  relays  night  and  day,  and  at  the  end 
of  thirty  days,  two  editions  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment wxre  put  to  press.  At  the  end  of  a  year  the 
printing  establishment  was  in  a  more  efficient 
state  than  at  any  former  period.  Christian  friends 
in  India  manifested  their  sympathy  by  prompt  and 
generous  contributions,  and  when  the  news  of  the 
disaster  reached  England,  so  generous  was  the 
response  that  the  entire  monetary  loss  was  made 
up  in  sixty  days. 

In  May,  181 5,  the  cause  of  missions  sustained 
a  great  loss  in  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Andrew 
Fuller,  Secretary  of  the  Baptist  Missionary  So- 
ciety in  England.  To  the  Serampore  band  his 
loss  seemed  irreparable,  but  its  full  significance  ap- 
peared later  in  the  train  of  circumstances  that 
eventually  resulted  in  their  entire  separation  from 
the  Society. 

In  the  summer  of  18 18  an  English  monthly 
periodical  was  begun  by  Dr.  Marshman,  to  which 
he  gave  the  name  of  the  **  Friend  of  India."  The 


88      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

very  first  issue  of  this  new  periodical  contained 
an  essay  on  the  burning  of  widows,  and  it  was 
urgent  for  every  reform.  '  No  class  of  sufferers 
^  appealed  more  to  Dr.  Carey's  sympathies  than 
the  lepers.  In  1812  he  had  witnessed  at  Cutwa, 
the  burning  alive  of  one  of  these  unfortunates. 
His  soul  was  filled  with  horror,  and  he  did  not 
rest  until  through  his  influence  and  exertions  a 
leper  hospital  had  been  established  in  Calcutta.    , 

For  many  years  the  missionaries  had  felt  the 
need  of  an  institution  in  which  a  higher  and  more 
complete  education  could  be  given  to  the  native 
students,  and  in  July,  1818,  they  issued  the  pros- 
I  pectus  of  a  college  "  for  the  instruction  of  Asiatic 
'  Christians  and  other  youth,  in  Eastern  literature 
and  European  science."  A  suitable  edifice  was  to 
be  erected  and  properly  equipped,  the  three  mis- 
;  sionaries  offering  to  subscribe  from  their  own  re- 
v^jources  the  sum  of  £2,500  for  the  purpose.  The 
college  eventually  cost  a  much  larger  sum  but 
the  whole  expense  was  borne  by  the  three  mis- 
sionaries. The  same  year  Mr.  Ward  paid  a  visit 
to  England  because  of  seriously  impaired  health, 
but  as  soon  as  he  was  able  to  labour,  his  services 
were  in  requisition  on  the  platform  and  in  the 
pulpit,  and  he  succeeded  in  raising  in  England 
and  Scotland,  £3,000  ($15,000),  for  the  support 
of  the  college.  This  was  followed  by  a  visit  to 
America  where  $10,000  more  were  raised  for  the 
same  purpose. 

In  the  beginning  of  1820,    Mrs.    Marshman, 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  89 

much  shattered  in  health,  was  obliged  to  return 
to  England.  For  twenty  years  she  had  toiled  in- 
cessantly, allowing  herself  no  respite  from  exact- 
ing cares  and  duties.  In  one  of  the  letters  sent 
to  Mrs.  Marshman  while  in  England,  Dr.  Marsh- 
man  wrote,  "  in  a  recent  examination  of  our  af- 
fairs, we  found  that  we  had  been  able  to  con^ 
tribute  more  than  £40,000  (nearly  $200,000),  to 
the  work  of  the  Serampore  mission,  besides  sup^ 
porting  our  families.    This  filled  me  with  joy." 

While  at  home,  Mr.  Ward  secured  as  professor 
for  the  Serampore  College,  Mr.  John  Mack,  a 
graduate  of  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  a  man 
of  earnest  piety,  brilliant  in  intellect  and  distiur 
guished  for  his  eloquence.  In  1821,  Mr.  Ward, 
Mrs.  Marshman  and  Mr.  Mack  returned  to  India 
to  find  on  their  arrival,  that  Dr.  Carey  had  been 
deprived  by  death  of  his  second  wife. 

Meanwhile,  the  college,  a  fine  edifice  in  the 
Grecian  style  of  architecture,  had  been  completed, 
and  Mr.  Mack  entered  with  great  enthusiasm  on 
the  discharge  of  his  duties  in  connection  with  it 
and  soon  became  a  brother  beloved.  Mr.  Ward 
assumed  charge  of  the  printing  establishment,  and 
the  business  department  of  the  mission,  but  gave 
his  chief  attention  to  the  training  for  missionary 
duties,  of  the  advanced  youth  in  the  college. 

Not  long  after  Mr.  Ward's  return  from  Eng- 
land, Serfojee,  the  Rajah  of  Tan j ore,  paid  a  visit 
to  Serampore.  He  was  received  on  his  arrival 
by  Dr.  Carey  and  Dr.  Marshman  and  conducted 


90      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

through  the  college  and  the  printing-establish- 
ment. The  Prince,  still  a  young  man,  manifested 
much  interest  in  all  departments  of  labour.  With 
his  hand  in  the  hand  of  Dr.  Carey,  Serfojee  talked 
with  reverent  enthusiasm  of  the  work  and  virtues 
of  the  great  missionary  Schwartz  to  whom  he  felt 
that  he  was  deeply  indebted. 

In  March,  1823,  sixteen  months  after  his  re- 
turn to  India,  Mr.  Ward  was  stricken  with  chol- 
era and  died  after  an  illness  of  thirty-six  hours. 
After  his  death  Dr.  Marshman  wrote,  "  This  is  to 
me,  a  most  awful  and  tremendous  stroke  and  I 
have  no  way  left  but  that  of  looking  upward  for 
help.  I  feel  the  loss  of  Mr.  Ward  as  a  counsellor 
beyond  everything." 

In  1823,  Dr.  Carey  accepted  the  post  of  trans- 
lator to  Government,  in  the  Bengali  language, 
.  because  of  the  increased  means  which  he  would 
I  thus  be  able  to  devote  to  the  carrying  on  of  the 
mission  work  in  Serampore  and  its  out-stations. 
During  this  year  the  river  Damooda  overflowed 
its  embankments  and  the  whole  country  between 
it  and  the  Hugh  was  inundated.  The  embank- 
ment in  front  of  the  mission  premises  gave  way 
and  the  river  came  in  like  a  flood.  Dr.  Carey 
was  ill  at  the  time.  He  was  removed  from  his 
dwelling-house  and  carried  to  one  of  the  houses 
on  the  college  premises  just  before  his  own  house 
was  swept  away. 

In  the  beginning  of  1826,  Dr.  Marshman  made 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  91 

his  first  and  only  visit  to  England.  He  reached 
his  native  village  on  the  morning  of  the  Sabbath 
and  made  his  way  at  once  to  the  old  meeting- 
house, feeling  almost  a  boy  again  when  he  heard 
himself  addressed  as  Joshua.  The  anniversary  of 
the  Baptist  Missionary  Society  was  held  in  Lon- 
don not  long  after  his  arrival.  This  was  the  first 
meeting  of  the  kind  which  he  had  ever  attended 
and  he  mentally  compared  the  great  gathering  on 
this  occasion  with  the  very  humble  beginnings  of 
this  Society.  In  the  interests  of  the  Mission  cause, 
Dr.  Marshman  visited  the  principal  cities  of  Eng- 
land and  Scotland  and  was  everywhere  cordially 
received;  but  he  was  homesick  for  India  and  re- 
joiced when  his  health  was  in  such  a  measure 
restored  as  to  permit  him  to  return.  He  em- 
barked for  India  on  the  19th  of  February,  1829, 
and  reached  Serampore  on  the  19th  of  May, 
taking  three  months  for  a  journey  now  made  in  a 
few  weeks. 

The  year  1829  is  a  memorable  one  in  India  as) 
it  marked  the  abolition  of  suttee,  or  widow-j 
burning  in  Bengal.  The  subject  had  for  the  first 
time  been  brought  officially  to  the  notice  of  Gov- 
ernment at  the  close  of  Lord  Wellesley's  adminis- 
tration, but  Lord  Amherst  before  his  retirement 
from  office  put  on  record  "  That  while  the  dimi- 
nution of  the  rite  was  desirable,  to  prohibit  it  en- 
tirely, was  inexpedient  at  the  time."  He  was  suc- 
ceeded in  office  by  Lord  William  Bentinck,  who, 


92      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

twenty  years  before,  had  been  Governor  of 
Madras,  and  was  therefore  not  a  novice  in  In- 
dian affairs.  He  brought  with  him  to  his  exalted 
office  a  firm  determination  that  this  horrid  rite 
should  cease  absolutely  and  immediately.  The 
regulation  prohibiting  suttee  in  the  Bengal  Presi- 
dency, was  passed  on  the  4th  of  December,  1829. 
The  Secretary  to  Government  sent  the  order  to 
Dr.  Carey  at  Serampore  on  the  afternoon  of 
Saturday.  The  paper  came  into  his  hands  on  the 
morning  of  the  Sabbath.  Knowing  that  every 
day's  delay  might  cost  the  lives  of  two  or  three 
victims,  he  sent  at  once  for  his  pundit  and  com- 
pleted the  translation  before  the  sun  went  down. 
The  year  1830  brought  heavy  financial  troubles 
to  the  missionaries.  Great  commercial  firms 
failed  for  large  amounts,  and  as  the  support  of 
many  of  the  children  in  the  schools  conducted  by 
Dr.  and  Mrs.  Marshman,  was  derived  from  funds 
deposited  with  these  firms,  the  schools  suffered 
in  consequence.  It  was  about  this  time  proposed 
in  the  interests  of  economy,  to  abolish  the  pro- 
fessorships in  the  college  of  Fort  William,  and 
to  appoint  examiners  on  a  reduced  salary.  Dr. 
Carey  received  in  consequence,  500  instead  of  1000 
rupees  per  month.  The  office  of  Government 
translator  was  also  abolished,  thus  further  reduc- 
ing his  income.  This  he  regretted  only  because 
he  was  deprived  of  the  privilege  of  contributing 
to  the  mission  cause  as  before.     The  number  of 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  93 

outstations  had  increased  to  thirteen,  and  Euro- 
pean, Eurasian  and  Hindustani  labourers  to  the 
number  of  thirty-two,  looked  to  the  missionaries 
for  support.  There  were  widows  and  orphans 
connected  with  the  mission  for  whose  support 
they  had  made  themselves  responsible,  and  they 
had  found  it  necessary  to  aid  in  the  support  of 
the  college.  An  appeal  was  sent  to  Christian 
friends  in  England,  and  this  met  with  a  cheerful 
and  liberal  response.  "  No  succour  was  ever  more 
seasonable,"  wrote  the  missionaries  in  response. 
The  eighth  edition  of  the  Bengali  New  Testa- 
ment appeared  in  1832.  As  Dr.  Carey  corrected 
the  last  sheet  of  this  edition,  he  said :  ''  My  work 
is  done.  I  have  nothing  more  to  do  but  to  wait 
the  will  of  God."  The  Old  Testament  in  Bengali 
had  passed  through  the  fifth  edition,  each  edition 
of  which  Dr.  Carey  had  himself  revised.  When 
in  the  summer  of  1832  he  presided  at  the  ordina- 
tion of  Mr.  Mack,  as  co-pastor  with  Dr.  Marsh- 
man  and  himself  over  the  Bengali  congregation 
in  Serampore,  he  took  with  him  into  the  pulpit 
the  first  copy  of  the  sacred  volume  which  came 
from  the  hands  of  the  printer,  and  addressed  the 
converts  and  their  children  from  the  words  of 
Simeon:**  Lord,  now  lettest  thou  Thy  servant  de- 
part in  peace, — for  mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy  salva- 
tion." The  veteran  saint  did  not,  however,  relin- 
quish the  labours  until  compelled  to  take  to  his 
couch.     During  the  months  of  gradually  failing 


94      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

strength,  many  distinguished  visitors  sought  the 
chamber  of  the  dying  missionary.  The  Bishop  of 
Calcutta  paid  him  several  visits,  and  on  one  of 
his  last  visits  craved  his  benediction.  Alexander 
Duff,  recently  arrived  in  India,  found  his  way  to 
the  chamber  where  the  good  and  great  man  was 
spending  his  last  earthly  days,  and  received  from 
him  much  wise  counsel. 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  June,  1834,  the 
aged  saintrentered  into  rest.  On  the  morning  of 
the  following  day,  he  was  carried  to  his  burial. 
Rain  was  falling  heavily,  and  this  intensified  the 
general  gloom.  The  Danish  Governor  and  his 
wife,  and  the  members  of  the  Council  joined  the 
long  procession  of  mourners,  and  the  Danish  flag 
hung  at  half  mast,  as  on  the  occasion  of  the  death 
of  a  Governor.  The  road  was  lined  with  poor 
Hindus  and  Mohammedans  who  felt  that  they 
had  lost  a  true  friend.  When  the  cemetery  was 
reached,  and  a  halt  was  made  at  the  open  grave, 
the  sun  burst  forth  in  splendour.  A  resurrection 
hymn  was  sung  and  the  mortal  remains  were  laid 
to  rest. 

Dr.  Carey  died  possessed  of  little  worldly 
wealth,  but  he  had  contributed  to  the  work  of 
evangelisation  and  civilisation  in  India,  £46,000. 
The  three  mission  families  from  their  earnings 
had  contributed  the  munificent  sum  of  £90,000. 
His  valuable  museum  was  bequeathed  to  the  col- 
lege, together  with  his  collection  of  Bibles,  and 


Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward  95 

he  directed  that  his  only  memorial  should  be  the 
following  inscription,  cut  on  the  stone  above  the 
grave  of  his  second  wife: 

William  Carey, 

Born  August  17,  1761 ; 

Died — June  9,  1834. 

A  wretched,  poor,   and  helpless  worm, 

On  Thy  kind  arms  I  fall. 

The  death  of  his  beloved  colleague  was  a 
heavy  blow  to  Dr.  Marshman,  who  about  this 
time  was  visited  with  another  heavy  afflic- 
tion. His  youngest  daughter  had  married  Lieu- 
tenant Havelock,  who  became  afterwards  the 
well-known  Sir  Henry  Havelock.  Mrs.  Have- 
lock was  with  her  children  in  the  hill-station  of 
Landour,  when  the  bungalow  she  occupied  took 
fire  in  the  night.  Mrs.  Havelock  and  her  two 
older  children  were  with  difficulty  rescued,  from 
the  burning  building,  but  the  youngest  perished 
in  the  flames.  For  a  few  days  little  hope  was 
entertained  that  Mrs.  Havelock  would  survive  the 
shock.  The  news  of  the  awful  disaster,  so  af- 
fected Dr.  Marshman  in  his  enfeebled  condition, 
that  he  was  seldom  afterward  seen  to  smile  and 
his  feebleness  from  this  time  continued  to  in- 
crease. 

A  few  days  before  his  death  he  requested  his 
bearers  to  carry  him  in  his  chair  to  the  chapel, 
at  the  hour  of  the  weekly  prayer-meeting  and  to 
place  him  in  the  midst  of  the  congregation.     He 


96      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

then  gave  out  in  a  firm  voice  the  hymn  that  had 
often  been  used  by  his  colleagues  and  himself  in 
seasons  of  trial  and  difficulty. 

O!  Lord  our  God,  arise; 

The  cause  of  truth  maintain, 
And  wide  o'er  all  the  peopled  world. 

Extend  Thy  blessed  reign. 

Dr.  Marshman  passed  away  on  the  morning  of 
the  fifth  of  December,  1837,  and  nine  years  later 
Mr.  Mack's  career  was  suddenly  cut  short  by 
cholera  after  twenty-three  years  of  splendid  serv- 
ice. Another  year  and  Mrs.  Marshman  was 
removed  by  death  in  March,  1847,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty.  The  first  in  the  army  of 
noble  women  who  have  consecrated  their  lives  to 
the  work  of  the  Lord  in  India,  she  has  perhaps 
had  no  superior  and  few  equals.  Both  were  buried 
in  that  consecrated  acre  in  Serampore  which  en- 
closes the  mortal  remains  of  that  devoted  band 
who  have  made  that  Station  famous  in  the  an- 
nals of  Missions.  It  is  said  that  on  one  occasion 
one  of  the  dignitaries  of  the  Church  of  England 
remarked  that  there  had  been  but  few  men  at 
Serampore  but  they  were  all  giants. 


IV 

HENRY  MARTYN 

1806-1812 

A  CENTURY  or  two  ago,  Cornwall,  the  Land's 
End  of  England,  was,  we  are  told,  sometimes 
called  "  West  Barbary,"  because  of  the  rude 
manners  of  its  inhabitants.  But  through  the 
blessing  of  the  Lord  upon  the  Gospel  message, 
carried  to  this  region,  in  a  measure  shut  out  from 
civilising  influences,  by  such  notable  preachers  as 
Whitefield  and  Wesley,  the  morals  and  manners 
of  the  inhabitants  had  greatly  improved  before 
the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

This  wild  region  was  the  birthplace  of  not  a 
few,  who,  in  manhood  became  famous,  but  rtb  one 
of  these  is  held  in  more  reverent  memory  than 
Henry  Martyn,  who  was  born  in  Truro,  the  me- 
tropolis of  Cornwall,  on  the  i8th  of  February,  ■ 
1781.  He  was  descended,  so  runs  the  record, 
from  an  ancient,  humble  family  of  skilled  miners. 
His  father,  when  quite  a  young  man  was  made 
accountant  in  Wheal  Virgin  Mine  and  eventu- 
ally rose  to  the  position  of  cashier.  Of  the  mother 
little  is  known,  save  that  she  was  of  a  consump- 
97 


98      Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

tive  habit  and  transmitted  this  disease  to  her 
children. 

Henry  was  the  third  child,  and  was  left  moth- 
erless when  very  young.  Self-trained  and  self- 
educated,  the  father  valued  education  as  did  few 
men  of  his  rank,  and  he  determined  that  Henry, 
who,  at  a  very  early  age,  evinced  a  taste  for 
learning  should  have  such  educational  advantages 
as  would  fit  him  for  a  high  station  in  life.  When 
seven  years  old  the  boy  was  placed  in  the  ex- 
cellent grammar-school  of  Truro.  Delicate  in 
constitution,  very  reserved  and  at  the  same  time 
passionate,  he  received  rough  treatment  from  the 
older  boys.  Dr.  Cardew,  the  head-master,  com- 
mitted the  shy,  new  pupil  to  the  guardianship 
of  one  of  the  older  scholars,  a  chivalrous  youth 
named  Kempthorpe.  He  remained  in  Dr.  Car- 
dew's  school  in  Truro  until  sixteen  years  of  age 
when  he  entered  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge. 
Kempthorpe,  the  champion  of  his  early  school- 
days, had  just  graduated  senior  wrangler  from 
the  college,  and  proved  just  such  a  friend  as 
the  young  student  needed  in  the  beginning  of 
his  university  career,  for  Henry  still  manifested 
a  tendency  to  be  governed  by  impulse  rather  than 
duty  and  as  in  his  boyish  days,  indulged  in  bursts 
of  passion.  On  one  occasion  when  roused  to  vio- 
lent anger,  he  hurled  an  open  knife  at  the  offender 
who  just  escaped  the  weapon  which  was  left 
quivering  in  the  wall. 

At  the  close  of  1799,  Henry  came  out  first  in 


Henry  Martyn  99 

his  examinations  to  the  great  delight  of  his 
father.  Though  he  had  sprung  from  "  a  family 
of  calculators,"  and  though  the  father  was  in- 
debted to  his  mathematical  ability  for  his  rise  in 
life,  yet  until  his  entrance  upon  his  university 
career  the  son  had  developed  little  taste  for  this 
department  of  learning,  and  it  is  said  that  he 
began  his  mathematical  studies  by  attempting  to 
commit  to  memory  the  propositions  of  Euclid.  ^ 

'In  January,  1800,  Henry  Martyn  received  tid- 
ing of  the  sudden  death  of  his  father.  His  friend 
Kempthorpe  urged  him  in  this  time  of  sorrow  to 
turn  his  thoughts  to  the  consideration  of  Divine 
things.  He  began  now  to  read  the  Bible  with 
an  interest  never  before  felt.  In  attendance  upon 
the  college  chapel  service,  while  thus  awakened, 
"  I  saw,"  wrote  Martyn,  ''  with  surprise  at  my 
former  inattention,  that  in  the  Magnificat,  there 
was  a  great  degree  of  joy  expressed  at  the  com- 
ing of  Christ."  i  The  opening  of  the  new  century 
had  opened  to  him  a  new  world. 

The  Rev.  Charles  Simeon  from  the  pulpit  of 
Trinity  Church,  as  well  as  by  his  personal  influ- 
ence, had  been  quietly  transforming  university 
life;  and  chiefly  through  his  efforts  and  influence 
the  society  now  known  as  the  Church  Mission- 
ary Society  was  founded  in  April,   1799. 

Mr.  Martyn  had  expected  to  devote  himself 
to  the  legal  profession,  because  "  he  could  not 
consent  to  be  poor  for  Christ's  sake."  Now,  how- 
ever, he  was  willing  to  be  used  as  seemed  good 


lOO    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

to  his  Heavenly  Master.  Impelled  by  a  new  and 
holy  motive  he  worked  so  incessantly  that  the 
student  who  had  been  an  idler  in  the  Truro 
grammar  school,  now  became  known  as  the  man 
who  never  lost  an  hour. 

At  the  time  to  which  he  had  so  long  looked 
forward,  when  he  entered  the  Senate  house  in 
company  with  his  competitors,  there  came  vividly 
to  his  mind  this  passage  from  God's  Holy  Word : 
"  And  seekest  thou  great  things  for  thyself  ? 
Seek  them  not."  This  he  felt  was  God's  mes- 
sage to  him  for  the  hour,  and  his  mind  was 
immediately  at  rest. 

r'*^At  the  close  of  the  contest,  to  Mr.  Martyn  was 

^awarded  the  highest  honour  which  the  university 

J  could  bestow,  that  of  senior  wrangler  of  his  year. 

"  I  obtained  my  highest  wishes,"  he  said,  referring 

to  this  event,  "  but  was  surprised  to  find  that  I 

Ijiad  grasped  a  shadow."  The  following  year  he 
was  made  Fellow  of  his  college  and  won  the  first 
university  prize  for  a  Latin  essay. 

Not  long  after  his  decision  to  devote  himself 
to  the  Gospel  ministry,  he  heard  Mr.  Simeon 
speak   in  glowing  terms  of  Dr.   Carey  and  the 

.  life  of  self-denial  he  was  leading,  in  connection 
with  the  work  of  making  Christ  known  in  idola- 

Vtrous  India.  The  life  of  David  Brainerd  about 
this  time  came  into  his  hands,  and  the  burning 
zeal  of  this  servant  of  the  Lord  made  a  powerful 

j  impression  on  his  mind.     With  the  promptness 
'  which  was  a  distinguishing  characteristic,  he  at 


Henry  Martyn  loi 

once  offered  himself  to    the    missionary    society  i 
which  had  recently  come  into  existence.  / 

On  the  22nd  of  October,  1803,  Mr.  Martyn 
was  ordained  a  deacon  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land and  soon  after  entered  upon  his  duties  as 
curate  to  Mr.  Simeon  in  Trinity  Church,  Cam- 
bridge. He  was  also  made  classical  examiner  of 
his  college. 

In  the  beginning  of  1804  a  disaster  in  Corn- 
wall deprived  Mr.  Martyn  and  his  sisters  of  the 
patrimony  which  had  accrued  to  them  on  the 
death  of  their  father,  making  it  necessary  that 
he  should  provide  for  the  maintenance  of  an  un- 
married sister.  This  was  a  blow  to  the  young 
curate,  as  he  felt  that  the  position  in  which  he 
was  now  placed  would  materially  interfere  with 
his  cherished  plan  of  devoting  his  life  to  mission- 
service  in  a  foreign  field.  Friends  in  London 
whose  advice  he  sought  in  this  emergency,  pro- 
posed that  he  should  accept  a  chaplaincy  abroad. 
The  pecuniary  advantages  of  such  a  position 
would  enable  him  to  provide  for  his  sister,  and 
would  at  the  same  time  afford  excellent  oppor- 
tunities for  missionary  work  among  the  unevan- 
gelised. 

Through  Mr.  Simeon,  Mr.  Martyn  was  intro- 
duced to  William  Wilberforce  and  Charles  Grant, 
both  members  of  the  House  of  Commons.  Mr. 
Grant  also  belonged  to  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  the  East  India  Company.  These  gentlemen  at 
once  interested  themselves  on  Mr.  Martyn's  be- 


I02    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

half.  Chaplains  to  the  British  troops  and  their 
civil  servants  in  India,  were,  they  felt,  a  necessity 
and  Mr.  Grant  was  authorised  to  bestow  upon 
Mr.  Martyn  such  an  appointment.  He  was  at 
this  time  under  twenty-four  years  of  age,  and 
could  not  legally  receive  full  ordination  in  the 
Church  of  England.  After  his  return  to  Cam- 
bridge, he  resumed  his  duties  as  curate  to  Mr. 
Simeon. 

On  the  i8th  of  February,  1805,  Mr.  Martyn 
completed  his  twenty-fourth  year,  and  in  the  fol- 
lowing March,  in  the  Chapel  Royal  of  St.  James, 
London,  he  received  ordination  as  a  clergyman 
of  the  Church  of  England,  after  which  the  de- 
gree of  B.D.,  was  conferred  upon  him.  He  de- 
livered his  farewell  discourse  in  Trinity  Church 
on  the  second  of  April  and  on  the  following  day 
left  Cambridge  for  London  to  prepare  for  his 
embarkation. 

Though  never  for  a  moment  regretting  the 
choice  he  had  made,  Mr.  Martyn's  sensitive  and 
affectionate  nature  made  the  trial  of  leaving  his 
native  land,  his  relatives  and  his  many  friends, 
very  great.  He  had  also  become  deeply  attached 
to  a  young  lady  in  Cornwall,  Miss  Lydia  Gren- 
fell.  After  paying  a  farewell  visit  to  this  lady, 
he  wrote  in  his  journal,  "  Parted  with  Lydia  for- 
ever in  this  life,  with  a  sort  of  uncertain  pain 
which  I  knew  would  increase  to  violence."! 

Passage  had  been  arranged  for  the  young  chap- 
lain in  the  '*  Union,"  one  of  the  ships  of  a  large 


Henry  Marty n  103 

fleet  which  sailed  from  Portsmouth  on  the  17th  of 
July.  After  two  days  a  casualty  occurred  which 
made  it  necessary  that  the  whole  fleet  should  put 
into  Falmouth,  where  it  remained  for  three  weeks, 
and  Mr.  Martyn  had  an  opportunity  to  visit  again 
the  friends  from  whom  he  thought  that  he  had 
parted  forever.  On  the  loth  of  August  the  signal 
was  given  for  the  ships  to  sail,  but  two  days  after 
weighing  anchor,  the  ''  Union  "  still  lingered  on 
the  coast.  While  Cornwall  was  in  sight,  with  his 
glass  in  his  hand  and  often  with  eyes  dimmed 
by  tears,  he  gazed  upon  the  beloved  scenes  slowly 
fading  from  his  view. 

The  captain  of  the  ''  Union  "  gave  an  unwill- 
ing consent  to  the  holding  of  one  religious  serv- 
ice on  the  Sabbath.  During  the  week,  between 
the  decks,  Mr.  Martyn  gathered  about  him  all 
who  were  willing  thus  to  assemble  and  held  an 
informal  service;  but  he  was  pained  and  dis- 
mayed not  only  at  the  inattention  but  at  the  open 
hostility  manifested  from  time  to  time,  although 
he  tried  to  gain  the  good  will  of  the  cadets  by 
offering  to  assist  them  in  their  mathematical 
studies. 

The  Sabbath  service  was  regarded  as  an  in- 
fliction by  the  majority  of  the  passengers,  who 
resented  the  chaplain's  faithful  presentation  of 
the  truth,  and  he  was  warned  to  desist  from  such 
plain  speaking.  His  answer  to  this  was  a  dis- 
course on  the  text :  "  The  wicked  shall  be  turned 
into  hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God." 


I04    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Such  was  the  solemnity,  the  earnestness  and  the 
tenderness  with  which  the  message  was  deHvered 
that  some  of  the  young  cadets  were  moved  to 
tears. 

A  pleasant  month  was  spent  in  Cape  Town, 
for  here,  the  lonely  young  chaplain  found  some 
congenial  friends  among  the  Cape  clergy.  On 
the  19th  of  April,  nine  months  after  the  fleet 
had  sailed  from  Portsmouth,  Ceylon  came  into 
view,  and  two  days  later  he  obtained  his  first 
sight  of  the  mainland  of  India  at  the  Danish 
settlement  of  Tranquebar.  At  sunrise  on  April 
22nd  the  vessel  anchored  at  Madras  Roads. 

*'  There  is  everything  here  to  depress  the 
spirits,"  wrote  Mr.  Martyn  in  his  journal.  **  What 
surprises  me  is  my  change  of  views.  In  Eng- 
land, my  heart  expanded  with  hope  and  joy  at 
the  prospect  of  the  speedy  conversion  of  the 
heathen;  but  here  the  apparent  impossibility  of 
this  requires  a  strong  faith  to  support  the 
spirits."  Many  a  modem  missionary  has  passed 
through  a  like  experience. 

After  a  detention  of  a  fortnight  off  Madras, 
the  '*  Union  "  once  more  set  sail  and  reached  Cal- 
cutta on  the  morning  of  May  i6th.  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn went  ashore  at  daybreak,  sought  out  Dr. 
Carey,  then  in  Calcutta  in  connection  with  the 
work  of  the  College  of  Fort  William,  breakfasted 
with  him  and  joined  him  in  worship. 

A  little  band  of  those  whose  hearts  the  Lord 
had  touched  had  been  accustomed  to  meet  once 


Henry  Martyn  105 

a  week  in  Calcutta  to  pray  the  Lord  of  the  har- 
vest to  send  to  India  a  man  filled  with  the  spirit 
of  Christ  and  with  a  desire  to  make  Him  known 
to  those  who  were  perishing  around  them.  It 
was  felt  by  the  members  of  this  praying  band 
that  Mr.  Martyn  had  been  sent  in  answer  to  their 
petitions. 

Dr.  Carey  wrote,  ''  A  chaplain  has  recently 
come  to  Calcutta,  Mr.  Martyn,  who  seems  to  pos- 
sess a  truly  missionary  spirit." 

One  of  the  first  to  welcome  to  his  heart  and 
his  home  the  youthful  chaplain,  was  the  Rev. 
David  Brown,  Provost  of  the  College  of  Fort 
William.  Mr.  Brown  lived  at  Aldeen  House, 
Serampore,  and  but  a  short  distance  from  the 
residence  of  the  missionaries.  Three  days  after 
his  arrival,  Mr.  Martyn  wrote,  "  In  the  cool  of 
the  evening  we  walked  to  the  mission  house,  a 
few  hundred  yards  off,  and  I  at  last  saw  the 
place  about  which  I  have  so  long  read  with 
pleasure." 

On  the  bank  of  the  river  Hugli  and  near  Mr. 
Brown's  own  residence  was  an  ancient  pagoda 
from  which  the  idol  had  been  removed  because 
of  the  encroachments  of  the  river.  This,  by  Mr. 
Brown's  directions,  underwent  such  repairs  and 
alterations  as  made  it  not  unsuitable  for  a  resi- 
dence, and  here  Mr.  Martyn  took  up  his  abode, 
rejoicing  "  that  the  place  where  once  devils  were 
worshipped,  was  now  become  a  Christian  ora- 
tory."     Of  his  unique  home,  he  wrote,  "  I  like 


io6    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

my  dwelling  much.  It  is  retired  and  free  from 
noise  and  has  so  many  recesses  and  cells  that  I 
can  hardly  find  my  way  in  or  out." 

During  the  five  months  spent  in  this  pagoda 
home,  Mr.  Martyn  held  much  pleasant  inter- 
course with  the  missionaries  who  formed  the 
famous  "  Serampore  Brotherhood.''  A  strong 
bond  of  sympathy  drew  him  into  close  fellowship 
wath  Dr.  Marshman  and  they  were  often  seen 
walking  arm  in  arm  for  hours  together  between 
Aldeen  House  and  the  mission-house. 

Mr.  Martyn  had  been  commissioned  to  go  out 
to  India  to  preach  to  the  English  people  resident 
there  but,  to  have  been  prevented  from  making 
Christ  known  to  the  heathen  would,  to  use  his 
own  language,  "  have  broken  his  heart."  "  Now 
let  me  burn  out  for  God,"  he  had  written  two 
days  after  his  arrival  in  Calcutta,  and  with  this 
spirit  of  entire  consecration,  he  began  his  work 
for  the  Master  in  the  new  field  to  which  he  had 
been  called. 

The  office  of  chaplain  \vhich  he  held  placed 
him  under  the  control  of  the  military  authorities, 
and  while  waiting  at  Aldeen  for  his  appointment 
to  5  military  station,  he  preached  every  Sabbath 
in  Calcutta,  and  with  such  acceptance  that  he 
was  urged  to  become  the  minister  of  the  mission, 
or  "  old  church,"  with  a  chaplain's  salary. 

The  13th  of  the  September  following  his  ar- 
rival brought  to  Mr.  Martyn  the  tidings  of  his 
appointment  to  Dinapore,  and  of  the  arrival  at 


A  GROUP  OF  VETERAN'S 

Isidor  Lowenthai  Major  Conran  Henry  Martyn 

John  Wilson  John  Scudder 


Henry  Martyn  107 

Madras  as  military  chaplains  of  Messrs.  Corrie 
and  Parsons,  his  well  beloved  friends.  On  the 
loth  of  October,  preparations  for  his  departure 
having  been  completed,  a  party  of  friends,  in- 
cluding the  Serampore  missionaries,  met  to  com- 
mit him  and  the  work  he  was  about  to  enter,  to 
God  for  His  blessing.  When  he  left  Aldeen,he  was 
accompanied  to  the  buderon,  or  house-boat,  in 
which  he  was  to  make  the  passage  up  the  river, 
by  his  friends  Messrs.  Corrie,  Parsons  and 
Brown.  As  the  boat  passed  the  Serampore  mis- 
sion-house. Dr.  Marshman  joined  the  party  and 
after  a  season  of  prayer,  returned  to  Serampore. 
The  other  friends  remained  until  the  following 
day.  After  spending  the  entire  morning  in  read- 
ing the  Scriptures,  in  prayer  and  in  singing  the 
praises  of  Zion,  the  three  friends  stepped  into  the 
boat  which  was  to  convey  them  back  to  Seram- 
pore, and  Mr.  Martyn  was  left  alone  for  the 
first  time  with  none  but  natives  of  the  country. 
The  six  weeks  occupied  in  this  journey  to 
Dinapore  were  spent  in  the  study  of  Hindustani 
and  Sanskrit,  and  in  the  reading  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  in  Greek  and  Hebrew  as  well  as  Eng- 
lish. Morning  and  evening  as  the  boat  ap- 
proached the  shore,  and  in  the  bazaars  of  the 
towns  where  a  halt  was  made,  the  young  chap- 
lain tried  to  make  Christ  known  to  the  crowds 
which  gathered  about  him,  and  he  often  left 
behind  copies  of  the  New  Testament  to  be  read 
at  leisure. 


io8    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

On  the  26th  of  November,  Dinapore  was 
reached.  Patna,  the  Mohammedan  city,  Banki- 
pore,  the  British  civil  station  and  Dinapore,  the 
British  mihtary  station,  stretch  along  the  right 
bank  of  the  Ganges  for  a  distance  of  fourteen 
miles.  The  chaplain's  work  was  primarily  the 
spiritual  care  of  the  two  European  regiments 
stationed  at  Dinapore,  but  he  felt  that  it  was  also 
his  duty  to  do  all  in  his  power  for  the  spiritual 
enlightenment  of  the  Hindustani  population. 
Accordingly  he  opened  schools  for  the  children 
and  held  earnest  conversations  with  the  learned 
men  on  religious  topics  whenever  opportunity  of- 
fered. 

There  was  no  church  edifice  in  Dinapore,  and 
the  chaplain  at  first  read  prayers  to  the  soldiers 
at  the  barracks  from  the  drum-head,  and  as  no 
seats  were  provided,  he  was  requested  to  omit 
the  sermon.  A  room  was  at  length  secured  and 
properly  seated,  but  his  audience,  composed  both 
of  civilians  and  soldiers,  objected  to  extempore 
preaching,  and  to  evangelistic  work  among  the 
native  inhabitants.  *'  I  stand  alone,"  he  wrote  to 
the  friends  at  Aldeen,  "  not  one  voice  is  heard 
saying  *  I  wish  you  success  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord.'  "  In  one  of  his  letters  to  England  Mr. 
Martyn  wrote,  "  I  fag  as  hard  here  as  ever  we 
did  for  our  degrees  at  Cambridge.  The  heat  is 
terrible,  often  at  98°,  the  nights  insupportable." 

The  opening  of  the  year  1807  was  a  time  of 
renewed  consecration.     Mr.  Martyn  was  engaged 


Henry  Martyn  109 

in  the  work  of  translating  the  Scriptures  of  the 
New  Testament  into  Hindustani,  and  he  was  at 
the  same  time  preparing  a  book  on  the  Parables  of 
our  Lord,  and  a  translation  of  the  Book  of  Com- 
mon Prayer.  He  held  almost  daily  discussions 
with  Hindus  and  Mohammedans,  and  gave  such 
attention  as  he  could  to  the  vernacular  schools 
he  had  organised,  and  which  were  supported  from 
his  own  purse.  In  addition  to  these  duties,  his 
special  duties  as  chaplain  to  the  English  troops 
and  the  civilians,  were  faithfully  performed. 

Not  long  after  his  arrival  in  India,  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn wrote  to  Miss  Grenfell  urging  her  to  join 
him,  as  the  salary  which  he  received  as  chaplain 
was,  he  felt,  sufficiently  liberal  to  justify  him 
in  such  a  request. 

In  October,  1807,  he  received  from  Miss  Gren- 
fell a  letter,  written  the  previous  July,  in  which 
she  declined  to  come  to  India,  because  her  mother 
withheld  her  consent.  Referring  to  this  decision, 
Mr.  Martyn  wrote  to  his  friends  in  Aldeen,  '*  my 
new  house  and  pleasant  garden  without  the  per- 
son I  expected  to  share  them  with  me,  excite 
disgust."  Henceforth  he  lived  solely  for  the 
work  to  which  all  his  powers  were  consecrated. 
He  began  now  to  devote  himself  to  the  study 
of  Arabic  and  Persian,  as  well  as  Hindustani  and 
Sanskrit. 

It  had  been  arranged  with  the  Serampore  mis- 
sionaries that  the  Persian  translation  of  the  New 
Testament  should  be  committed  to  Mr.  Martyn, 


no    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

and  to  assist  him  in  this  work,  Sabat,  an  Arab, 
who  had  been  baptised  in  Madras  and  who  had 
been  employed  by  the  Serampore  missionaries  in 
the  work  of  Scripture  translation,  was  sent  to 
Dinapore.  He  remained  with  Mr.  Martyn  for 
several  years,  but  was  so  haughty  and  passionate 
as  to  be  a  severe  trial.  On  one  occasion  Mr. 
Martyn  wrote,  "  Sabat  has  been  tolerably  quiet 
this  week,  but  think  of  the  keeper  of  a  lunatic 
asylum  and  you  see  me." 

Without  congenial  Christian  companionship  at 
Dinapore,  Mr.  Martyn  received  with  peculiar 
pleasure  a  letter  from  his  friend,  Mr.  Parsons, 
chaplain  at  Berhampore,  introducing  to  him  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Sherwood.  When  the  regiment  to 
which  Mr.  Sherwood  was  attached  as  pay- 
master, was  ordered  to  Cawnpore,  on  its  way  up 
the  Ganges,  it  halted  at  Dinapore  and  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn extended  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sherwood  a  cordial 
invitation  to  spend  the  time  of  their  sojourn  in 
Dinapore,  at  his  bungalow,  an  invitation  which 
they  gladly  accepted.  This  was  the  beginning  of 
a  friendship  which  added  much  brightness  to 
his  life  during  the  remainder  of  his  residence  in 
India. 

In  March,  1808,  the  Hindustani  translation  of 
the  New  Testament  was  completed.  While  carry- 
ing on  this  work,  Mr.  Martyn  had  diligently 
studied  Arabic,  that  he  might  be  prepared  to 
work  with  Sabat  on  a  version  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  that  language.    He  was  also  engaged  with 


Henry  Martyn  iii 

Sabat  in  the  Persian  translation  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament. In  connection  with  his  duties  as  chap- 
lain, he  was  deeply  interested  in  the  provision  of 
a  suitable  place  of  worship.  On  the  12th  of 
March,  the  new  edifice  which  had  for  some  time 
been  under  construction,  was  opened  for  Divine 
service;  but  the  faithful  chaplain  was  not  long 
left  to  enjoy  that  for  which  he  had  so  earnestly 
laboured,  for  a  month  later,  he  was  commissioned 
to  leave  Dinapore  to  take  the  chaplaincy  of  the 
troops  at  Cawnpore. 

The  journey  thither  during  the  hottest  season 
of  the  year  was  hazardous,  but  feeling  that  duty 
called,  Mr.  Martyn  made  no  delay.  After  his 
arrival  in  Cawnpore  he  wrote  to  the  friends  in 
Aldeen,  ''  I  transported  myself  with  such  rapidity 
to  this  place,  that  I  nearly  translated  myself  out 
of  the  world.  From  Allahabad  to  Cawnpore,  how 
shall  I  describe  what  1  suffered?  Two  days  and 
two  nights  was  I  travelling  without  intermis- 
sion, the  wind  blowing  flames.  Thus  I  lay  in 
my  palanquin  more  dead  than  alive." 

Mr.  Martyn  was  received  on  his  arrival  by 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sherwood.  Of  his  arrival  Mrs. 
Sherwood  wrote,  *'  The  desert  winds  were  blow- 
ing like  fire  without,  when  we  heard  the  steps 
of  many  bearers.  Mr.  Sherwood  ran  out  and  the 
next  moment  led  in  Mr.  Martyn,  who,  a  moment 
after  fell  down  in  a  fainting-fit.  He  was  very 
ill  for  a  day  or  two,  unable  to  lift  his  head  from 
the  couch." 


112    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions  ' 

As  soon  as  able  in  any  degree  to  exert  him- 
self, he  gladly  made  the  acquaintance  of  some 
of  the  Christian  soldiers  of  the  regiment  and  with 
the  consent  of  his  host,  invited  them  to  meet  in 
his  own  apartment  for  religious  instruction.  The 
house  which  was  afterwards  purchased  by  him 
for  his  residence,  still  stands.  Of  his  absorbing 
devotion  to  his  work,  Mrs.  Sherwood  wrote, 
"  Little  was  spoken  of  at  Mr.  Martyn's  table  but 
various  plans  for  advancing  the  triumphs  of 
Christianity." 

In  Cawnpore,  as  in  Dinapore,  Mr.  Martyn 
established  schools  for  children  from  the  lower 
castes,  though  his  duties  as  chaplain  were  oner- 
ous. In  Cawnpore,  as  in  his  former  field  of 
labour  he  found  no  church  edifice  in  which  to 
hold  religious  services. 

The  rainy  season  proved  peculiarly  trying. 
"  My  strength  for  public  preaching  is  almost 
gone,"  he  wrote  during  this  season,  "  but  to 
translate  the  word  of  God  is  a  work  of  more  last- 
ing benefit  than  my  preaching  would  be."  In 
the  cool  season,  as  his  strength  somewhat  re- 
vived, Mr.  Martyn  began  in  front  of  his  bunga- 
low, his  first  public  ministrations  in  the  vernacu- 
lar, his  congregation  consisting  of  a  crowd  of 
mendicants,  the  blind,  the  maimed,  the  halt,  the 
diseased,  the  impostor  and  the  really  needy.  To 
such  an  audience  he  tried  to  tell  the  story  of  the 
Gospel  in  such  simple  language  that  all  could 
understand;  and  at  the  close  of  the  service  he 


Henry  Martyn  113 

assisted  in  the  distribution  of  alms.  For  eighteen 
months,  and  until  his  departure  from  Cawnpore, 
Mr.  Martyn  continued  this  Sabbath  service  to  the 
beggars,  though  there  was  little  outward  encour- 
agement. Yet  seed  was  then  sown  which  bore 
fruit  unto  life  eternal.  On  the  wall  which  inclosed 
his  compound,  was  a  kiosk  from  which  some 
Mussulman  idlers  used  to  look  down,  often 
with  scorn  for  the  preacher,  his  message  and  his 
audience.  But  one  of  this  number,  ere  long, 
ceased  to  scoff.  Without  the  knowledge  of  Mr. 
Martyn,  this  young  man  had  been  employed  by 
Sabat  to  copy  for  him  the  Persian  manuscript  of 
the  New  Testament.  As  he  read,  he  became  con- 
vinced that  Jesus  was  truly  the  Son  of  God  and 
the  only  Saviour  for  sinful  men.  When  Mr. 
Martyn  left  Cawnpore  for  Calcutta,  this  man  ac- 
companied him  and  was  baptised  by  the  Rev. 
David  Brown,  who  gave  him  the  name  of  Abdul 
Masih,  servant  of  Christ.  After  spending  some 
time  in  Calcutta,  he  was  sent  to  Meerut,  a  city 
in  the  Punjab  and  was  instrumental  in  leading  to 
Christ  the  chief  physician  of  the  Rajah  of  Bhurt- 
pore.  Others,  through  his  labours  and  the  ex- 
ample of  his  holy  life,  were  led  to  accept  Christ 
as  their  Saviour ;  and  these  in  their  turn,  became 
**  fishers  of  men."  This  earnest  disciple  received 
ordination  at  the  hands  of  Bishop  Heber  in  the 
Cathedral  at  Calcutta.  He  was  faithful  unto 
death. 

Chaplain  Corrie,  Mr.  Martyn's  friend,  having 


114    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

been  transferred  from  Chunar  to  Agra,  was  di- 
rected to  tarry  in  Cawnpore,  on  his  journey  to 
his  new  station  and  assist  Mr.  Martyn.  This 
visit  was  a  great  refreshment  to  the  invalid,  but 
as  his  strength  continued  to  decline,  a  sea-voyage 
was  proposed,  or  a  return  for  a  short  time  to 
England.  The  choice  was  decided  by  informa- 
tion received  from  Calcutta,  concerning  the 
Persian  version  of  the  New  Testament.  By  those 
who  were  regarded  as  competent  judges,  the 
language  used  was  thought  to  be  above  the  com- 
prehension of  the  mass  of  the  people.  It  also 
contained  a  large  proportion  of  Arabic  idioms. 
After  committing  the  matter  to  the  Lord  in 
prayer,  and  conferring  with  friends,  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn decided  to  make  his  way  into  Arabia  and 
Persia,  that  by  intercourse  with  learned  natives 
of  those  countries,  he  might  be  better  fitted  to 
revise  the  Persian  version,  and,  to  carry  forward 
to  a  successful  completion,  the  Arabic  version 
upon  which  he  was  then  engaged. 

On  the  last  Sabbath  of  September,  1810,  Mr. 
Martyn  took  leave  of  his  European  congregation 
in  Cawnpore.  It  was  a  day  both  of  sorrow  and 
of  joy.  He  felt  sincere  regret  in  taking  leave  of 
the  members  of  his  flock,  and  he  rejoiced  that  he 
was  leaving  to  his  successor  a  suitable  house  of 
worship  which  was  dedicated  to  the  worship  of 
God  on  that  very  day.  The  church  edifice  at  this 
time  opened  for  Divine  service,  continued  to  be 


Henry  Martyn  115 

the  Military  Church  of  Cawnpore  until  1857  when 
it  was  destroyed  by  the  mutineers. 

On  the  day  following,  Mr.  Martyn  embarked 
on  the  Ganges  for  Calcutta,  and  a  month  later 
received  a  joyful  welcome  to  the  hospitable  Al- 
deen  home.  Four  years  have  elapsed  since  his 
departure  and  his  friends  were  shocked  and 
grieved  to  find  him  so  enfeebled.  He  remained 
at  Aldeen  until  the  beginning  of  January,  and 
during  this  period,  with  one  exception,  he  preached 
every  Sabbath  in  Calcutta. 

Mr.  Martyn  left  Calcutta  to  begin  his  long 
journey,  in  great  physical  weakness  and  without 
even  an  attendant.  The  captain  of  the  vessel  in 
which  he  embarked  had  been  a  former  pupil  of 
Schwartz,  and  from  him  Mr.  Martyn  learned 
much  of  interest,  relating  to  the  life  and  labours 
of  the  great  missionary.  On  the  i8th  of  Febru- 
ary, he  wrote  from  Bombay,  "  Thus  far  I  have 
been  brought  in  safety.  This  day  I  finished  the 
thirtieth  year  of  my  unprofitable  life,  the  age  at 
which  David  Brainerd  finished  his  course." 

Calling  on  the  Governor  on  the  following  day, 
he  was  kindly  received  and  invited  to  remain  as 
guest  at  Government  House,  while  he  tarried  in 
Bombay.  Sir  John  Malcolm,  also  a  guest  at 
Government  House,  had  recently  returned  from 
his  second  mission  to  Persia  and  with  him  Mr. 
Martyn  held  much  pleasant  and  profitable  inter- 
course.    Having  completed  his  preparations,  he 


Ii6    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

left  Bombay  on  the  25th  of  March.  On  the  4th 
of  April  the  Persian  coast  came  into  view  and 
on  the  2 1  St  the  ship  anchored  at  Muscat.  Bushire 
was  reached  on  May  22nd,  when  the  heat  was  at 
its  height.  He  had  been  furnished  by  Sir  John 
Malcolm  with  an  introduction  to  the  Governor,  and 
this  insured  for  him  some  kind  attentions.  On 
the  Sabbath  Mr.  Martyn  conducted  a  religious 
service  for  the  Europeans,  at  the  Residency.  On 
the  30th  of  May,  the  lonely  traveller  began  his 
journey  to  Shiraz,  mounted  on  a  pony  and  fol- 
lowed by  an  Armenian  servant  on  a  mule.  An 
English  officer  on  his  way  to  the  camp  of 
the  British  Ambassador  at  Shiraz,  joined  the 
party.  As  the  travellers  advanced,  the  heat 
continued  to  increase,  until  the  mercury  reached 
126°  in  the  tent  and  such  was  Mr.  Martyn's  dis- 
tress that  he  felt  he  could  not  survive. 

As  far  as  possible,  the  marches  were  taken  at 
night,  and  long  halts  made  in  the  day.  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn suffered  much  from  fever  which  greatly  re- 
duced his  strength.  When  a  higher  altitude  was 
reached  above  the  arid  region,  the  weary  travel- 
lers were  refreshed  by  the  sight  of  clear  streams, 
green  valleys  and  purer  air.  Still  ascending,  the 
air  at  night  was  sometimes  so  piercing  that  the 
travellers  could  not  sufficiently  protect  themselves 
against  it. 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  June,  the  plain 
of  Shiraz  was  reached.  Mr.  Martyn  was  kindly 
received  by  Jaffir  Ali  Khan,  a  Persian  gentleman.. 


Henry  Martyn  117 

to  whom  he  had  brought  letters  of  introduction. 
He  Hved  sometimes  in  the  house  of  his  host,  and 
sometimes  in  a  summer-liouse  in  a  garden  outside 
the  city. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  he  entered  with  enthusi- 
asm upon  the  work  which  had  brought  him  to 
that  remote  land.  In  this  important  work,  he 
found  an  able  and  willing  assistant  in  Mirza  Said 
Ali  Khan,  the  brother-in-law  of  his  host.  The 
work  was  not,  however,  allowed  to  proceed  with- 
out many  interruptions.  Mullahs  and  students 
sought  interviews  with  Mr.  Martyn  in  order  to 
reason  and  to  discuss.  Visitors  came,  at  length 
in  such  numbers  that  Mr.  Martyn  was  obliged  to 
decline  to  receive  them,  or  relinquish  his  work 
of  Scripture  translation.  So  universal  a  spirit  of 
inquiry  had  been  awakened,  that  the  Preceptor  of 
all  the  Mullahs  manifested  no  little  uneasiness 
and  to  counteract  the  growing  interest  in  the 
subject  of  research  into  the  Christian  religion,  he 
prepared  a  defence  of  the  Mohammedan  faith. 
To  this  work,  Mr.  Martyn  sent  forth  an  able 
refutation.  His  intercourse  with  the  people  deep- 
ened his  conviction  that  the  Bible  in  the  language 
of  the  people  was  the  weapon  which  would  most 
effectually  reach  the  heart. 

In  the  beginning  of  January,  18 12,  Mr.  Mar- 
tyn wrote,  ''  Spared  by  mercy  to  see  the  opening 
of  another  year.  To  all  appearance,  the  present 
year  will  be  more  perilous  than  any  I  have  seen, 
but  if  I  live  to  complete  the  Persian  New  Testa- 


Ii8    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

ment,  my  life,  after  that,  will  be  of  less  impor- 
tance/' This  important  work  was  completed  the 
following  February.  It  had  been  carried  on 
amidst  public  disputations  and  private  confer- 
ences,— in  great  loneliness  also,  and  while  his  in- 
herited disease,  pulmonary  consumption,  was 
sapping  the  springs  of  life.  On  February  i8th, 
1812,  he  made  this  record  in  his  journal,  "  This 
is  my  birthday,  on  which  I  complete  my  thirty- 
fjrst  year.  The  Persian  New  Testament  has  been 
begun,  I  may  say,  finished,  in  it,  as  only  the  last 
eight  chapters  of  the  Revelation  remains.  Such 
a  painful  year  I  have  never  passed,  owing  to  the 
privations  I  have  been  called  to,  on  the  one  hand, 
and  the  spectacle  before  me  of  human  depravity 
on  the  other." 

A  week  later  in  great  physical  weakness,  Mr. 
Martyn  corrected  the  last  page  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  Persian.  Three  months  longer  were 
spent  in  Shiraz  in  the  preparation  of  two  copies 
of  the  New  Testament,  one  intended  for  presen- 
tation to  the  Shah  of  Persia  and  the  other  to  his 
son  Prince  Abbas  Mirza.  These  copies  were 
beautifully  transcribed  and  afterward  carefully 
corrected  by  Mr.  Martyn's  own  hand.  He  was 
at  the  same  time  engaged  in  a  work  in  which  he 
took  great  delight,  a  version  of  the  Psalms  of 
David  into  Persian,  from  the  original  Hebrew. 

Desiring  to  present  in  person  the  copies  of 
the  New  Testament  which  had  been  transcribed 


Henry  Martyn  119 

for  the  Shah  and  the  Prince,  on  the  nth  of  May, 
eleven  months  after  his  arrival  in  Shiraz,  Mr. 
Martyn  left  the  city  for  Tabriz.  This  journey 
occupied  about  two  months,  and  proved  one  of 
great  hardship.  On  the  8th  of  June,  Teheran, 
where  the  Shah  was  encamped,  was  reached. 
Four  days  later,  Mr.  Martyn  attended  the  Vizier's 
levee,  and  two  Mullahs,  very  bold  and  discourte- 
ous, pressed  forward  to  argue  with  him,  trying 
only  to  entangle  him.  ''  What  have  I  done?  "  he 
wrote  in  his  journal  after  retiring  to  his  tent, 
"  to  merit  all  this  scorru" 

On  the  evening  of  this  day,  Mr.  Martyn  learned 
that  an  interview  with  the  Shah  could  only  be 
arranged  through  the  English  ambassador.  He 
therefore  determined  to  leave  Teheran  without 
further  delay.  The  journey  to  Tabriz,  the  resi- 
dence of  the  Ambassador,  was  a  very  painful  one, 
as  Mr.  Martyn  was  so  ill  that  he  could  with  diffi- 
culty keep  his  seat  in  the  saddle.  On  his  arrival, 
the  invalid  received  from  Sir  Gore  and  Lady 
Ouseley,  such  kindness  and  care  as  his  enfeebled 
condition  demanded. 

As  soon  as  sufficiently  recovered  to  travel,  he 
decided  to  try  to  make  his  way  to  Constantinople, 
and  from  thence,  if  possible,  to  England.  The 
manuscript  copy  of  the  Persian  New  Testament, 
designed  for  the  Shah,  Mr.  Martyn  left  with  the 
British  Ambassador,  to  be  by  him  presented  to 
his  Persian  majesty  in  the  name  of  the  British 


I20    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

and  Foreign  Bible  Society.  He  also  directed 
that  a  manuscript  copy  of  his  translation  of  the 
Persian  New  Testament  be  sent  to  Calcutta. 

Mr.  Martyn  left  Tabriz  for  Constantinople  on 
the  evening  of  September  2nd.  Sir  Gore  Ouseley 
had  provided  him  with  letters  to  the  Governors 
of  Erivan,  Kars  and  Erzroum  and  for  the  Am- 
bassador at  Constantinople.  Two  Armenian  serv- 
ants accompanied  him.  For  forty-five  days  of 
untold  suffering,  the  unconquerable  spirit 
sustained  the  frail  body.  The  first  stations  or 
stages  of  the  journey  were  from  twenty  to  twen- 
ty-five miles  apart,  the  horses  furnished  were 
usually  indifferent,  the  heat  during  the  day  fre- 
quently oppressive,  and  the  place  of  rest  at  night 
was  sometimes  a  stable. 

On  the  2 1  St  of  September,  Kars  was  reached. 
The  Governor,  on  receipt  of  the  letter  from  Sir 
Gore  Ouseley,  directed  that  lodgings  should  be 
assigned  to  the  traveller,  and  furnished  a  guard 
of  ten  men  for  the  forward  journey.  One  only 
was  provided,  "  the  merciless  Hassan,"  who  was 
not  disposed  to  allow  any  loitering,  and  in  conse- 
quence, Mr.  Martyn,  with  scarcely  strength  to  sit 
up,  was  often  compelled  to  keep  the  saddle  from 
seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  eight  o'clock 
at  night.  It  has  been  said  that  since  Chrysos- 
tom's  journey  over  the  same  region,  the  Church 
of  Christ  has  seen  no  torture  of  a  saint  like  this. 

As  Mr.  Martyn  continued  his  journey  he 
learned  with  dismay  that  the  plague  was  raging 


Henry  Martyn  lai 

in  Constantinople,  and  that  the  inhabitants  of 
Tocat  were  flying  from  that  city  to  escape  the 
dreaded  pestilence.  The  sorely-tried  saint  made 
at  this  time  the  following  entry  in  his  journal: 
"  Thus  I  am  inevitably  passing  into  immediate 
danger.  O  Lord !  Thy  will  be  done.  Living  or 
dying,  remember  me." 

October  5th  he  wrote,  "  Preserving  Mercy 
made  me  see  the  light  of  another  morning.  Sleep 
had  refreshed  me,  but  I  was  feeble  and  shaken, 
yet  the  merciless  Hassan  hurried  me  off." 

The  last  record  from  Mr.  Martyn's  pen  bears 
the  date  of  October  6th.  ''  No  horses  being  to  be 
had,  I  had  an  unexpected  repose.  I  sat  in  the 
orchard  and  thought  with  sweet  comfort  and 
peace  of  my  God,  in  solitude  my  Company,  my 
Friend  and  Comforter.  Oh!  when  shall  time 
give  place  to  eternity!  When  shall  appear  that 
new  heaven  and  new  earth  wherein  dwelleth 
righteousness !  There,  there  shall  in  no  wise 
enter  in  anything  that  defileth :  none  of  that 
wickedness  which  has  made  men  worse  than  wild 
beasts,  none  of  those  corruptions  which  add  still 
more  to  the  miseries  of  mortality,  shall  be  seen 
or  heard  of  any  more." 

What  happened  when  the  pen  fell  from  the 
grasp  of  the  dying  saint,  will  never  be  known, 
nor  how  he  reached  Tocat.  Here  he  died  on  the 
1 6th  of  October,  1812.  His  two  Armenian  serv- 
ants were  with  him  to  minister  to  his  wants. 
His  body  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Armenian  ceme- 


122    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

tery,  and  a  report  is  current  that  he  was  carried 
to  the  grave  with  the  honours  of  an  Armenian 
Archbishop.  The  grave  was  made  at  the  foot  of 
slaty  rocks  down  whose  sides  washed  the  snows 
of  winter  and  the  rains  of  summer.  James  Clau- 
dius Rich,  Esq.,  English  Resident  at  Bagdad, 
visiting  the  place  several  years  after  the  death  of 
Mr.  Martyn,  placed  above  the  grave  a  limestone 
slab  on  which  he  caused  an  appropriate  inscrip- 
tion to  be  engraved  in  Latin.  In  1830  two  mis- 
sionaries of  the  American  Board,  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Eli  Smith  and  H.  G.  O.  Dwight,  visited 
Tocat  and  sought  out  the  sacred  spot.  In  1844 
another  missionary  of  the  same  society,  the  Rev. 
Henry  Van  Lennep,  D.D.,  had  great  difficulty  in 
identifying  the  grave.  Two  years  later  this  gen- 
tleman was  again  in  Tocat.  Soon  after  his  ar- 
rival, with  a  little  company  of  friends,  he  visited 
the  Armenian  cemetery,  and  guided  by  recollec- 
tion and  a  drawing  made  on  the  spot  during  his 
previous  visit,  the  place  was  soon  found.  Two 
feet  below  the  surface  the  slab  bearing  the  in- 
scription was  reached.  The  grave  was  put  in 
order,  but  the  following  spring  the  spot  was  again 
covered  as  before,  with  the  soil  washed  down 
from  the  sides  of  the  mountain. 

Through  correspondence  with  interested 
friends  in  London  a  grant  was  made  by  the  late 
East  India  Company's  Board  of  Directors  for  the 
purpose  of  erecting  a  suitable  monument  to  the 
memory  of  Henry  Martyn,  to  be  placed  with  the 


Henry  Martyn  123 

remains  in  the  burying-ground  of  the  recently 
estabhshed  American  Mission. 

The  monument  was  cut  out  of  the  native  marble 
and  prepared  by  native  workmen  in  Tocat.  The 
remains  were  removed  under  the  direction  of  the 
missionary  physician  and  placed  in  the  mission 
cemetery,  the  first  grave  there  made  and  over 
the  grave  the  monument  was  erected.  It  stands 
on  a  broad,  high  terrace  overlooking  the  city. 

In  the  mission  church  in  Calcutta,  where 
Henry  Martyn  so  faithfully  preached  the  Gospel, 
a  memorial  tablet  has  been  placed  which  bears 
the  following  inscription: 

To  the   Memory  of  the 

Rev.  Henry  Martyn, 

Chaplain  of  the  Bengal  Establishment. 

He  was  a  burning  and  a  shining  light. 

He  died  at  Tocat,  in  Armenia,  on  the  i6th  of 

October,  1812. 

Aged  only  thirty-two. 

In  the  market-place,  Cambridge,  near  the 
church  in  which  for  so  long  a  period,  the  Rev. 
Charles  Simeon  ministered,  has  been  erected  the 
Henry  Martyn  Memorial  Hall,  which  was  dedi- 
cated on  the  1 8th  of  October,  1887.  Here  the 
university  prayer-meeting  is  held  and  here  from 
time  to  time  meet  the  members  of  the  various 
Religious  Societies.  In  the  Cathedral  Church 
of  the  county  in  which  Henry  Martyn  was  born, 
the  life  and  work  of  her  gifted  son,  held  now  in 


124    M^^  o^  Might  in  India  Missions 

reverent  memory,  are  made  the  subject  of  yearly 
mention  and  yearly  meditation. 

When  the  news  of  the  death  of  Henry  Martyn 
reached  England,  "  Parliament  was  discussing  the 
missionary  clauses  of  the  East  India  Company's 
Charter  and  the  tidings  became  the  means  of 
opening  to  India  an  unrestricted  preaching  of 
the  Gospel." 

i  The  seed  planted  by  Henry  Martyn  on  heathen 
soil  has  borne  a  rich  harvest.  "  Where  he  pointed 
the  way,  the  great  missionary  societies  df  the 
United  States  of  America  and  of  England  and 
the  Free  Church  of  Scotland  have  sent  their 
noblest  men  and  women.". 


V 

GORDON  HALL 

1812-1826 

"  There  are  no  contrasts  like  those  of  Chris- 
tianity," said  Dr.  Mark  Hopkins  in  the  opening 
of  his  discourse  on  the  occasion  of  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  completion  of  the  first  half  century  of 
the  existence  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  This  meet- 
ing was  held  in  Tremont  Temple,  Boston,  and  as 
the  speaker  looked  upon  his  audience  numbering 
between  three  and  four  thousand,  eager,  expec- 
tant and  enthusiastic,  he  thought  of  the  five  young 
men  from  the  two  lower  classes  of  an  infant  col- 
lege, who  were  accustomed  to  meet  at  stated 
times  to  pray  for  the  unevangelised  in  heathen 
lands. 

These  young  men  were  Samuel  J.  Mills,  Jr., 
James  Richards,  Francis  L.  Robbins,  Harvey 
Loomis,  and  Byron  Green.  ''On  one  occasion, 
driven  by  an  approaching  thunder-storm  from 
the  grove  where  the  meeting  had  usually  been 
held,  the  young  men  took  shelter  behind  a  neigh- 
bouring haystack,  and  there,  in  the  language  of 
one  who  was  present,  "  Mills  proposed  we  should 
125 


126    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

send  the  Gospel  to  heathen  India  and  said  we 
could  do  it,  if  we  would."  After  the  discussion, 
as  the  storm  was  passing  away.  Mills  said,  "  Let 
us  make  it  a  subject  of  prayer  under  this  hay- 
stack, while  the  dark  clouds  are  going  by  and 
the  clear  sky  is  coming." 

At  Williamstown,  Mass.,  on  the  spot  where 
now  stands  the  famous  Haystack  Monument, 
these  young  men  consecrated  themselves  to  the 
work  of  Foreign  Missions.  In  1806,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  a  few  others  of  like  mind,  they 
formed  themselves  into  a  society  ''  to  effect  in  the 
person  of  its  members,  a  mission,  or  missions  to 
the  heathen."  When  they  left  Williams  College 
to  enter  Andover  Theological  Seminary  these  ar- 
dent young  disciples  continued  the  society  formed 
at  college.  To  this  society  the  names  of  Adoni- 
ram  Judson,  Samuel  Newell  and  Samuel  Nott 
were  ere  long  added.  Judson  was  a  graduate  of 
Brown  University,  Nott  of  Union  College, 
Newell  of  Harvard  and  Mills  of  Williams. 

For  a  time  the  young  men  kept  their  society  a 
secret,  under  the  apprehension  that  the  idea  of  a 
foreign  mission  would  be  unpopular  in  the 
churches.  But  the  time  came  when  they  felt  that 
they  must  make  known  their  desire  and  their 
purpose.  This  they  did  in  a  memorial  which  led 
to  the  formation  of  the  American  Board.  The 
names  appended  to  this  important  memorial  were : 
Adoniram  Judson,  Samuel  Nott,  Samuel  J.  Mills, 
Jr.,  Samuel  Newell,  James  Richards  and  Luther 


Gordon  Hall  127 

Rice.  The  two  latter  names  were,  however  struck 
off  before  the  presentation  of  the  memorial,  lest 
the  Association  should  be  alarmed  at  the  number. 

Gordon  Hall,  the  pioneer  of  American  Protes- 
tant missions  on  the  Western  coast  of  India,  was 
born  in  the  town  of  Tolland,  formerly  Granville, 
Mass.,  April  8th,  1784.  His  parents,  Nathan 
and  Elizabeth  Hall  were  natives  of  Ellington, 
Conn.  They  were  among  the  first  settlers  in  the 
little  town  of  Tolland  and  were  held  in  high 
esteem.  The  boy  Gordon  very  early  manifested 
traits  of  character  which  made  him  a  great 
favourite  among  his  young  companions.  His 
versatility  of  genius  was  remarkable.  He  gave 
loyal  assistance  to  his  father  in  the  labours  of  the 
farm  and  in  his  times  of  relaxation  found  recre- 
ation in  mechanical  pursuits.  When  fourteen 
years  of  age  reading  a  description  of  a  balloon, 
he  forthwith  proceeded  to  fashion  one.  He  was 
passionately  fond  of  reading  and  very  early 
evinced  a  talent  for  putting  his  thoughts  into 
vigourous  prose.  He  had  ready  wit  and  could  be 
keenly  sarcastic. 

Mr.  Harrison,  the  village  pastor,  occupied  a 
part  of  Mr.  Hall's  dwelling-house  and  became 
deeply  interested  in  young  Gordon,  whose  love 
of  learning  increased  with  his  years.  When  the 
youth  was  nineteen  years  of  age  Mr.  Harrison 
one  day  in  a  conversation  with  the  father  said, 
"  your  son  Gordon  should  have  the  benefit  of  a 
college  education.'* 


128    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

"  His  assistance  on  the  farm  is  so  vakiable, 
that  1  cannot  well  spare  him,"  replied  the  father ; 
but  finding  that  the  course  suggested  by  Mr. 
Harrison  was  greatly  desired  by  his  son,  Mr. 
Hall  at  length  gave  his  consent  and  Mr.  Harri- 
son kindly  agreed  to  assist  the  youth  in  his  prepa- 
ration for  entering  college,  which  he  did  in  1805 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one. 

At  the  close  of  the  examination  of  Mr.  Hall 
before  the  faculty  of  Williams  College,  the  Presi- 
dent said,  '*  That  young  man  has  not  studied  the 
languages  like  a  parrot,  but  has  got  hold  of  their 
very  radix."  This  element  of  thoroughness  char-  ■ 
acterised  Mr.  Hall  not  only  through  his  college 
course,  but  was  a  prominent  trait  through  life. 

During  his  first  year  at  college,  Gordon  Hall 
openly  espoused  the  cause  of  his  Master,  and 
from  this  time  began  his  fellowship  with  Samuel 
J.  Mills,  who  soon  communicated  to  Mr.  Hall 
his  purpose  to  devote  his  life  to  missionary  work 
in  some  foreign  land.  Young  Hall's  whole  soul 
was  soon  enlisted  in  this  cause.  So  zealous  did 
he  become  in  the  cause  of  missions,  that  Mr. 
Mills  declared  that  "  Hall  was  evidently  ordained 
and  stamped  a  missionary  by  the  sovereign  hand 
of  God." 

Mr.  Hall  left  Williams  College  in  1808,  and 
began  the  study  of  Theology  under  the  direction 
of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Porter,  of  Andover.  In  the 
autumn  of  1809,  he  was  licensed  to  preach,  and 
received  immediately  after  licensure,  a  pressing 


Gordon  Hall  129 

invitation  to  minister  to  the  Congregational 
Church,  of  Woodbury,  Conn.  This  invitation 
he  consented  to  accept,  on  the  condition  that 
such  acceptance  impHed  no  obHgation  on  his  part 
to  remain  with  the  congregation ;  for  with  the 
other  members  of  the  praying  band  in  WilUams 
College,  he  had  pledged  himself  not  to  enter  into 
any  engagement  which  might  prove  a  hindrance 
to  his  going  abroad  as  a  missionary. 

Mr.  Hall  remained  at  Woodbury  until  June, 
1810,  and  soon  after  entered  the  Theological 
Seminary  at  Andover.  It  was  during  the  sum- 
mer of  this  year  that  the  young  men  with  whom 
he  had  been  associated  in  Williams  College,  to- 
gether with  Adoniram  Judson,  Samuel  Nott  and 
Samuel  Newell,  resolved  to  make  known  to  the 
General  Association  of  Massachusetts,  their  pur- 
pose to  labour  in  heathen  lands,  and  to  ask  the 
aid  of  the  Association  in  this  momentous  enter- 
prise. The  memorial  was  drawn  up  by  Mr. 
Judson.  Mr.  Hall,  though  among  the  first  to 
consecrate  himself  to  the  work  of  missions,  did 
not  enter  the  Seminary  in  time  to  take  part  in 
these  preliminary  measures,  but  he  was  soon 
recognised  as  among  the  leaders. 

One  of  the  venerable  men  present  at  the  semi- 
centennial held  in  Boston,  in  October,  i860,  the 
Rev.  John  Keep,  related  before  the  vast  assembly 
there  congregated,  his  recollections  of  the  meet- 
ing which  led  to  the  formation  of  the  A.  B.  C. 
F.  M.     He  was  on  his  wav  to  a  meetinsr  of  the 


130    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

General  Association  in  Bradford,  in  June,  1810, 
when  in  Andover  he  met  a  former  classmate, 
Jeremiah  Evarts,  who  invited  him  to  be  present 
at  a  gathering  in  the  house  of  Professor  Stuart, 
for  a  conference  with  the  young  men  who  had  set 
their  hearts  upon  a  foreign  mission,  and  whose 
memorial  on  the  subject  was  to  be  offered  for  the 
consideration  and  decision  of  the  Association. 

The  result  of  this  meeting  was  the  appointment 
of  a  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Mis- 
sions. The  young  men  were  advised  to  put  them- 
selves under  the  direction  of  this  Board  and  to 
pursue  their  studies  until  the  means  for  embark- 
ing on  such  an  enterprise  were  provided. 

Eager  to  enter  upon  a  work  whose  claims 
pressed  more  and  more  upon  their  hearts,  these 
zealous  young  men  at  length  decided  that  Mr. 
Judson  should  pay  a  visit  to  England  to  ascertain 
if  the  Directors  of  the  London  Missionary  Society 
would  lend  their  aid.  This  society  expressed  a 
willingness  to  take  the  missionaries  under  its 
exclusive  direction,  but  wisely  decided  that  two 
controlling  powers  so  widely  separated,  could  not 
act,  with  unity  and  decision. 
'  About  this  time  the  congregation  in  Woodbury, 
Conn.,  to  which  Mr.  Hall  had  for  a  few  months 
ministered,  extended  to  him  a  call  to  become  its 
pastor.  This  flattering  call,  Mr.  Hall  promptly 
declined. 

**  No,"  was  his  answer.  "  I  must  not  settle 
in  any  parish  in  Christendom.     Others  will  be 


Gordon  Hall  131 

left  whose  health,  or  engagements  require  them  / 
to  stay  at  home,  but  I  can  sleep  on  the  ground,  I 
can  endure  hunger  and  hardship;  God  calls  me/ 
to  the  heathen ;  woe  to  me  if  I  preach  not  the/ 
Gospel  to  the  heathen,  whose  destitute  stat( 
presses  more  and  more  on  my  mind."  / 

In  the  autumn  of  181 1,  Messrs.  Hall  and  Newell 
went  to  Philadelphia  for  the  purpose  of  pursuing 
medical  studies  for  a  time,  believing  that  even  a 
moderate  degree  of  medical  knowledge,  would  be 
useful. 

In  January,  1812,  it  was  decided  to  send  abroad 
the  young  men  who  had  volunteered  for  work 
among  the  heathen,  as  soon  as  a  suitable  oppor- 
tunity offered.  Circulars  and  appeals  for  funds 
in  aid  of  the  enterprise  were  immediately  sent  out 
to  different  parts  of  New  England  and  to  these 
appeals  there  was  a  prompt  and  generous  re- 
sponse. At  this  time  the  first  subscription  paper 
circulated  among  the  women  friends  of  missions 
in  America  was  sent  forth.  At  the  head  of  the  list 
of  contributors  was  the  name  of  Elizabeth  Bart- 
lett,  with  a  donation  of  $100.  The  whole  amount 
subscribed  by  the  Christian  women  of  Salem, 
Mass.,  was  $271.25.  A  legacy  of  $30,000  had 
been  bequeathed  to  the  infant  society  by  Mrs. 
Mary  Norris,  but  no  part  of  this  was  available 
until  four  years  later.  It  is  pleasant  to  be  able 
to  record  that  in  the  very  infancy  of  American 
missions,  woman's  heart  was  responsive  and  her 
purse  open  to  further  the  sacred  cause. 


132    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

On  the  6th  of  February,  1812,  Gordon  Hall, 
Adoniram  Judson,  Samuel  Newell,  Samuel  Nott 
and  Luther  Rice,  were  ordained  as  foreign  mis- 
sionaries in  the  Tabernacle  Church,  Salem,  Mass. 
Within  three  weeks  after  this  important  event, 
the  contributions  in  aid  of  the  mission  cause  ex- 
ceeded the  sum  of  $6,000. 

On  the  19th  of  February,  1812,  Messrs.  Judson 
and  Newell  with  their  wives,  embarked  from 
Salem,  in  the  big  "  Caravan  "  for  India.  Messrs. 
Hall  and  Rice  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nott  set  sail 
from  Philadelphia  in  the  ship  "  Harmony "  on 
the  28th  of  February  for  the  same  destination, 
the  churches  of  "  the  City  of  Brotherly  Love," 
contributing  nearly  $1,000  in  aid  of  the  enter- 
prise. Two  of  the  young  men  who  at  this 
time  went  forth  to  spend  their  lives  in  heathen 
lands,  had  graduated  from  college  with  the 
highest  honours,  Gordon  Hall  from  Williams 
College  and  Adoniram  Judson  from  Brown  Uni- 
versity. 

Messrs.  Newell  and  Judson  arrived  in  Calcutta 
on  the  1 8th  of  June,  and  Messrs.  Hall,  Nott  and 
Rice,  on  the  8th  of  August.  Christians  of  differ- 
ent denominations  gave  to  the  newly  arrived  mis- 
sionaries a  kind  and  courteous  reception.  The 
Rev.  Drs.  Carey  and  Marshman  and  the  Rev. 
Wm.  Ward,  ''  the  triumvirate  of  heroes,"  wel- 
comed them  to  Serampore  and  for  a  time  this 
Danish  town  was  a  haven  of  refuge  for  the 
strangers.     Twenty  years  before,  the  House  of 


Gordon  Hall  133 

Commons  had  empowered  the  East  India  Court 
of  Directors  to  close  India  against  the  Gospel  and 
in  consequence,  in  the  territory  over  which  the 
Directors  claimed  jurisdiction,  the  missionaries 
were  not  allowed  to  settle.  The  first  party  on  ar- 
rival, were  ordered  to  return  by  the  '*  Caravan,'' 
which  had  brought  them  to  India ;  but  this  order 
was  afterward  so  modified  that  permission  was 
granted  them  to  seek  a  place  of  residence  outside 
the  jurisdiction  of  the  Company. 

Learning  that  the  Governor  of  the  Isle  of 
France  was  desirous  of  having  missionaries  settle 
in  his  dominions,  they  resolved  to  sail  for  the 
Mauritius  at  the  first  opportunity.  On  the  4th 
of  August,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Newell  embarked  for 
the  Isle  of  France  in  a  vessel  that  afforded  ac- 
commodation for  only  two  passengers.  Four  days 
after  their  departure  the  **  Harmony "  arrived 
bringing  Messrs.  Hall,  Nott  and  Rice.  As  had 
been  the  case  with  their  brethren  who  had  pre- 
ceded them,  they  met  with  a  hostile  reception  from 
Government  and  took  refuge  for  a  time  under 
the  Danish  flag  at  Serampore. 

On  the  voyage  from  America  to  India,  the 
views  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  on  the  subject  of 
baptism  had  changed  and  on  communicating  this 
change  in  their  views  to  the  missionaries  at  Ser- 
ampore, at  their  own  request  they  were  baptised 
by  immersion.  Mr.  Rice,  not  long  after  his  ar- 
rival made  a  like  request  and  received  baptism  by 
immersion. 


134    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

After  an  unavoidable  and  most  vexatious  delay, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson  and  Mr.  Rice  set  sail  for 
the  Isle  of  France.  They  arrived  at  Port  Louis 
on  the  17th  of  January  and  learned  with  deep 
sorrow  that  Mrs.  Newell  had  been  removed  by 
death  on  the  30th  of  November. 

A  month  after  the  arrival  of  the  party,  Mr. 
Newell  embarked  for  Ceylon.  While  at  the  Isle 
of  France,  it  was  decided  that  Mr.  Rice  should 
return  to  the  United  States  to  try  to  enlist  the 
interest  of  the  Baptist  Churches  of  America  in  the 
cause  of  foreign  missions.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Judson 
took  passage  in  a  ship  sailing  to  Madras  and 
from  thence  made  their  way  to  Rangoon  where 
they  became  the  founders  of  the  Burmah  mis- 
sion. 

Messrs.  Hall  and  Nott  applied  to  Government 
for  leave  to  go  to  Ceylon,  but  their  application 
was  not  favourably  received.  Learning  that  a 
new  Governor,  Sir  Evan  Nepean  had  arrived  in 
Bombay,  and  being  further  informed  that  he  was 
one  of  the  Vice-presidents  of  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  and  entertained  friendly 
sentiments  in  reference  to  the  establishment  of 
Christian  missions  in  India,  they  decided,  after 
prayerful  deliberation  to  make  an  attempt  to 
reach  Bombay,  hoping  there  to  establish  a 
mission. 

The  way  to  the  accomplishment  of  this  desire 
seemed  opening  before  them,  when  they  were 
ordered  to  take  passage  in  one  of  the  ships  of 


Gordon  Hall  13  J 

the  fleet  about  to  proceed  to  England.  To  do  so, 
they  felt,  would  close  the  door  against  mission 
work  in  India  for  a  long  time  to  come.  As  a 
last  resort,  they  appealed  to  the  captain  of  the 
"  Commerce  "  bound  for  Bombay,  for  permission 
to  go  on  board  his  ship  and  await  results.  This 
was  granted  and  though  the  Captain  reported 
them  as  passengers,  they  were  not  disturbed ;  and 
great  was  their  joy  when  they  saw  the  homeward 
bound  fleet  weigh  anchor  and  put  to  sea. 

Mr.  Hall  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nott  reached  Bom- 
bay on  the  nth  of  February,  1813,  after  a  passage 
of  eleven  weeks.  Before  the  arrival  of  the  mis- 
sionaries, news  had  reached  Bombay  that  war 
had  been  declared  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain  greatly  increasing  the  embarrass- 
ment of  the  situation.  Sir  Evan  Nepean  had  re- 
ceived intimation  that  it  was  the  will  of  the  Su- 
preme Government  that  the  missionaries  should 
be  returned  to  England,  but  receiving  from  them 
the  assurance  that  their  sole  object  in  coming  to 
India  was  the  promotion  of  Christian  knowledge, 
he  was  reluctant  to  enforce  the  order  of  Govern- 
ment and  therefore  sanctioned  a  delay. 

In  September  the  missionaries  received  a  letter 
from  Mr.  Newell,  who  had  settled  in  Ceylon  after 
the  death  of  Mrs.  Newell  in  the  Isle  of  France, 
urging  them  to  join  him.  This  they  made  an 
attempt  to  do,  but  were  compelled  by  an  order 
from  the  Governor  to  return  to  Bombay.  On  the 
1 6th  of  December  the  much-tried  missionaries  re- 


136    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

ceived  official  intimation  from  Sir  Evan  Nepean 
that  he  was  under  positive  orders  to  return  them 
to  England,  and  on  the  20th,  they  were  notified 
that  passages  had  been  provided  for  them  on  a 
vessel  which  was  to  sail  two  days  later.  The  mis- 
sionaries felt  that  this  was  a  most  critical  time 
and,  after  earnest  prayer  for  help  and  guidance 
a  final  appeal  was  made  to  the  Governor,  not  in 
his  official  capacity  only,  but  to  him  as  a  man 
and  a  Christian.  In  impassioned  language  they 
entreated  him  not  to  send  away  those  commis- 
sioned by  the  Church  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  to 
preach  the  Gospel  among  the  heathen. 

The  reply  to  this  appeal  was  an  official  notifica- 
tion from  Sir  Evan,  that  he  would  await  further 
instructions  from  Calcutta.  The  Governor,  in 
the  meanwhile  was  making  earnest  efforts  on 
behalf  of  the  missionaries.  When  finally,  official 
notice  was  received  from  the  Court  of  Directors, 
that  the  missionaries  would  be  allowed  to  remain, 
should  the  Governor  so  approve,  he  lost  no  time 
in  communicating  this  decision  to  those  who  had 
so  long  waited  and  prayed  for  an  open  door  for 
the  entrance  of  the  Gospel.  To  the  official  noti- 
fication. Sir  Evan  added,  "  and  I  heartily  wish  you 
success  in  your  work."  This  favourable  decision 
had  been  brought  about  through  the  efforts  of 
the  venerable  Charles  Grant,  Chairman  of  the 
Court  of  Directors,  who  had  prepared  an  able 
defence  of  the  conduct  of  the  missionaries. 

Nearly  two  years  had  elapsed  since  the  arrival 


Gordon  Hall  137 

of  the  missionaries  and  they  now  for  the  first 
time  had  a  feeling  of  permanence.  The  time, 
however,  had  not  been  lost.  Mr.  Hall  had  ap- 
plied himself  with  great  diligence  to  the  study 
of  the  language  and  had  made  such  progress  that 
soon  after  formal  sanction  to  remain  had  been 
granted,  he  began  a  translation  of  the  Gospel  of 
Matthew  into  Marathi,  the  vernacular  of  that  part 
of  India,  and  also  a  Harmony  of  the  Gospels  into 
the  same  language.  Of  these  early  attempts  at 
translation  Mr.  Hall  wrote,  "  We  know  that  they 
are  very  imperfect,  but  they  are  prepared  for 
daily  use  in  instructing  the  people.  We  hand  the 
translations  round  in  manuscript  and  read  them  to 
the  people  in  our  excursions  and  in  this  way  we 
are  able  to  detect  errors  and  to  ascertain  whether 
or  not  our  version  is  intelligible  and  idiomatic." 
Mr.  Hall  was  soon  able  to  speak  to  the  people 
in  their  own  vernacular,  though,  of  course,  with  a 
stammering  tongue.  With  his  fellow-labourer, 
Mr.  Nott,  he  sought  the  people  as  they  resorted 
to  their  temples,  in  the  market-places,  in  the  vil- 
lages, and  wherever  hearers  could  be  found.  Near 
the  close  of  his  second  year  in  Bombay,  Mr.  Hall 
wrote  in  his  diary,  "  I  have  spoken  in  six  different 
places  and  to  more  than  one  hundred  persons  to- 
day " ;  and  again ;  "  in  the  course  of  the  past  week 
have  spoken  to  more  than  eight  hundred  persons. 
Some  listened  attentively,  some  mocked,  and  tried 
to  divert  attention  from  the  preacher,  or  else  to 
make  his  message  contemptible  to  those  assem- 


138    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

bled."  But  the  heroic  toiler  was  never  moved 
from  his  steadfast  purpose  to  make  Christ  known, 
whether  men  would  hear,  or  whether  they  would 
forbear.  "  It  is  a  part  of  a  missionary's  trials," 
he  wrote,  *'  rightly  to  bear  the  impatience  and 
contradictions,  insolence  and  reproaches  of  men 
who  are  sunk  to  the  lowest  degradation  both  nien- 
tal  and  moral." 

Not  long  after  formal  sanction  had  been  given 
to  the  missionaries  to  remain  in  India,  Mr.  Nott's 
health  became  so  seriously  impaired  that  his  phy- 
sicians advised  an  early  return  to  America,  as  the 
only  hope  of  restoration.  This  decision  was  a  sore 
trial  not  only  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nott,  but  to  Mr. 
Hall  also.  He  was  not,  however,  left  alone  after 
the  departure  of  Mr.  Nott,  as  Mr.  Newell  joined 
him  from  Ceylon. 

To  assist  the  missionaries  in  their  work,  a  pass 
was  obtained  from  Calcutta  and  this  was  made 
available  by  the  arrival  in  Bombay  in  November, 
1816,  of  the  Rev.  Horatio  Bardwell  from  America, 
who  had  a  practical  knowledge  of  printing.  In 
any  work  undertaken,  Mr.  Hall  manifested  that 
spirit  of  perseverance  and  determination  which  is 
so  essential  to  the  successful  conduct  of  every  im- 
portant enterprise.  When  the  printing-press  ar- 
rived from  Calcutta,  several  parts  were  wanting, 
others  were  untrimmed  and  alterations  were  found 
necessary ;  but  all  difficulties  were  at  length  over- 
come. Of  this  Mr.  Hall  wrote,  "  After  so  many 
discouragements  as  our  mission  has  experienced, 


^11 1      'l<Eli 


^  :  g  -a 

®  3  -c 

i  ^  ?  1  &■• 

^  ^  1    S  'lev 

-    t  f-    ©  cJ 

^■3  3«9    3 


1  K^  i  i 

I  iff! 

^1  ^  eg  &  ^ 


ctr.Z^'^ 


•  •if 


•       O      '5      O 


to'-g 


^1^^ 
«^l 


I  ^-f?J 


n 


^■^m 


<  ^ 


If  ^  ^ 

I  ^  ^ 


Gordon  Hall  139 

you  will,  no  doubt  rejoice  with  us  in  our  being 
able,  through  Divine  Goodness,  to  commence  the 
deHghtful  work  of  printing  the  Word  of  God  in 
the  language  of  a  numerous  people." 

The  Gospel  of  Matthew  was  at  once  put  to 
press.  In  1817,  besides  a  Harmony  of  the  Gos- 
pels, the  missionaries  had  translated  the  Gospels, 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  and  several  of  the  Epis- 
tles. They  had  also  prepared  several  tracts  and 
as  soon  as  possible,  these  were  printed. 

In  December,  1816,  Mr.  Hall  was  united  iuj 
marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  Lewis,  an  English] 
lady  who  had  spent  several  years  in  Bombay  and 
was  familiar  with  the  language  of  the  people.  He 
now  had  a  help-meet  in  the  work  which  daily 
grew  in  extent  and  importance.  Besides  preach- 
ing to  the  heathen  wherever  and  whenever  oppor- 
tunity offered,  the  missionaries  did  not  neglect  to 
minister  to  those  who  though  not  ranking  as 
heathen  were  yet  sadly  in  need  of  Christian  in- 
struction. On  the  morning  of  each  Sabbath  a 
religious  service  was  held  for  poor  Europeans  and 
half-castes.  They  held  also  at  their  own  dwelling 
a  service  in  English  on  the  Sabbath  and  once  a 
month  the  Lord's  Supper  was  administered. 

Realising  the  great  importance  of  bringing 
under  wholesome  influences,  the  youth  around 
them,  as  soon  as  they  felt  secure  in  their  position, 
the  missionaries  established  schools.  At  the  close 
of  1816  they  had  under  their  care  an  English 
school  of  about  forty  pupils,  and  in  their  vernac- 


140    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

ular  schools  about  three  hundred  children  were 
gathered.  In  one  of  these  schools  there  were 
more  than  twenty  Jewish  children.  In  these  chil- 
dren the  missionaries  felt  a  deep  interest  and  as 
there  was  in  Bombay  a  colony  of  Jews,  they  re- 
solved to  establish  a  separate  school  for  Jewish 
children.  A  Jew  well  acquainted  with  the  Marathi 
language  was  secured,  and  the  pupils  were  taught 
to  read  and  write  both  Hebrew  and  Marathi.  The 
portions  of  Old  Testament  history  contained  in 
the  school-books  which  had  been  prepared  by  the 
missionaries  were  full  of  interest  to  both  teacher 
and  pupils  as  they  related  to  the  history  of  their 
own  people,  to  the  patriarchs  and  prophets  held 
in  veneration  by  the  whole  Jewish  people. 

The  schools  established  by  the  mission  eventu- 
ally extended  in  a  line  about  sixty  miles  along 
the  coast.  Each  school-room  was  in  eflfect  a 
chapel  where  the  missionaries  preached  the  Gos- 
pel to  the  whole  neighbourhood,  as  the  people 
usually  assembled  whenever  the  missionaries 
visited  the  schools.  The  parents  manifested  a 
warm  interest  in  the  schools  in  which  their  chil- 
dren received  instruction  and  thus  the  mission  ac- 
quired an  influence  which  could  in  no  other  way 
have  been  secured. 

Mr.  Bardwell  who  had  rendered  valuable  assis- 
tance in  connection  with  the  establishment  of  the 
printing-press  suffered  so  seriously  from  the  cli- 
mate that  in  1821,  by  the  advice  of  his  physicians, 


Gordon  Hall  141 

he  returned  to  America,  greatly  to  the  regret  of 
his  missionary  associates. 

Soon  after  the  departure  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bard- 
well  for  America,  Mr.  Garrett,  a  practical  printer, 
was  transferred  from  Ceylon  to  Bombay  and  the 
work  of  the  press  was  not,  therefore,  long  sus- 
pended. This  same  year  brought  a  great  sorrow 
to  the  mission  in  the  death  from  cholera  of  the 
beloved  Mr.  Newell.  He  was  held  in  the  highest 
esteem  and  his  death  was  regarded  as  a  public 
loss. 

In  1822  a  house  for  public  worship  was  erected 
in  the  city  of  Bombay  for  the  use  of  the  mission. 
This  building  consisted  of  two  stories,  the  upper 
one  being  used  as  a  chapel  and  the  lower  one  for 
the  press,  while  the  verandas  were  utilised  for 
schools. 

The  translation  of  the  whole  New  Testament 
into  Marathi  had  now  been  completed,  the  print- 
ing establishment  had  been  enriched  with  new 
and  improved  type  and  the  British  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society  had  presented  one  hundred  reams 
of  paper  to  the  mission  to  be  used  in  printing 
the  Marathi  edition  of  the  New  Testament.  To 
improve  the  service  of  song  in  Divine  worship 
the  missionaries  had  adapted  the  most  appropriate 
native  tunes  to  hymns  in  the  vernacular  which 
they  had  themselves  prepared. 

In  November,  1824,  Mr.  Hall  undertook  a 
fatiguing  tour  to  the  highlands  East  of  Bombay, 


142    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

for  the  double  purpose  of  preaching  the  Gospel 
and  ascertaining  if  a  place  might  not  be  found  on 
the  mountains  to  be  used  as  a  convalescent  station 
for  disabled  missionaries  and  their  families.  The 
place  he  had  in  view  was  Mahabaleshwar,  on  the 
Ghauts,  4,500  feet  above  the  sea  and  distant  from 
Bombay  about  one  hundred  and  forty  miles;  and 
at  this  place  he  found  excellent  water  and  a  fine 
climate.  Thirty  years  after  this  preliminary  visit 
of  Mr.  Hall,  the  mission  made  Mahabaleshwar 
a  sanitary  station  and  the  place  is  now  a  favourite 
retreat  for  the  European  residents  of  Bombay  in 
the  hot  weather  and  after  the  rains. 

In  July,  1825,  Mr.  Hall  felt  constrained  for 
reasons  of  health  to  send  Mrs.  Hall  and  their  two 
boys  to  America.  Passages  were  engaged  for  the 
party  on  the  brig  "  Ann."  The  day  before  she 
expected  to  sail,  Mrs.  Hall  wrote,  "  I  entreated 
my  dear  husband  to  accompany  us.  His  reply 
together  with  the  affectionate  and  solemn  expres- 
sion of  his  countenance  I  can  never  forget.  My 
dear  Margaret,  he  said,  do  you  know  what  you 
ask?  I  am  in  good  health.  I  am  able  to  preach 
Christ  to  the  perishing  souls  around  me.  Do 
you  think  I  should  leave  my  Master's  work  and 
go  with  you  to  America  ?  Go,  then,  with  our  sick 
boys.  I  will  remain  and  pray  for  you  all  and 
here  labour  in  my  Master's  cause." 

Mrs.  Hall  embarked  with  her  children  on  the 
31st  of  July,  1825.  Mr.  Hall  accompanied  them 
out  of  the  harbour  and  returned  in  the  pilot  boat. 


Gordon  Hall  143 

Two  months  after  the  departure  of  Mrs.  Hall, 
a  meeting  was  held  composed  of  delegates  from 
the  following  missions,  named  in  the  order  in 
which  they  were  established :  of  the  American 
Board  in  Bombay,  of  the  London  Society  in 
Surat,  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  in  Bom- 
bay, of  the  London  Society  in  Belgaum,  and  of 
the  Scottish  Missionary  Society  in  the  Southern 
Konkan.  This  meeting  was  held  for  the  pur- 
pose of  forming  a  missionary  Union.  Mr.  Hall 
delivered  the  opening  sermon  from  Romans  i.  16. 
The  sessions  were  held  in  the  American  Mission 
chapel.  "  What  a  contrast,"  wrote  Mr.  Hall, 
"  was  this  glad  occasion  to  my  situation  in  1813-14 
when  I  was  practically  a  prisoner  and  under  sen- 
tence of  transportation  from  the  land,  when  not 
a  single  mission  in  this  part  of  India  had  been 
established.  I  was  now  a  patriarch  among  the 
missionary  brotherhood,  none  so  old  in  years  and 
missionary  labours." 

Mrs.  Hall  and  her  youngest  son  arrived  in 
Salem,  Mass.,  on  the  i8th  of  November;  but  the 
mother  was  sad  of  heart  for  on  the  25th  of  Oc- 
tober the  body  of  the  elder  son  had  been  com- 
mitted to  the  deep.  The  heavy  tidings  of  the  death 
of  this  beloved  child  did  not  reach  the  father  to 
cause  grief  to  his  already  over-burdened  heart, 
for  before  letters  arrived  from  America  bearing 
the  sorrowful  news,  Mr.  Hall  had  been  laid  in  his 
grave. 

In  1823,  the  Rev.  Edmond  and  Mrs.  Frost  sailed 


144    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

from  America  to  join  the  missionary  workers  in 
Bombay.  The  brethren  felt  that  Mr.  Frost  was 
indeed  a  man  sent  from  God  and  they  trusted 
that  when  fully  equipped  for  work  he  would  be  a 
tower  of  strength;  but  in  two  years  after  his  ar- 
rival, he  was  removed  by  death.  In  a  letter  to 
Mrs.  Hall,  referring  to  this  event,  Mr.  Hall  wrote, 
"  I  never  before  was  permitted  to  witness  so  much 
of  the  support  of  religion  and  the  preciousness 
of  a  Saviour  to  a  dying  Christian."  Again  he 
wrote,  "  Since  the  death  of  brother  Frost  our 
mission  engagements  have  pressed  upon  me  with 
uncommon  severity  and  all  are  suffering  more  or 
less  for  want  of  more  help." 

On  the  1st  of  February,  1826,  Mr.  Hall  pre- 
pared a  circular  letter  which  was  printed  at  the 
mission  press,  to  be  forwarded  to  Christian  friends 
in  various  parts  of  America,  and  which  reached 
his  native  land  with  the  tidings  of  his  death.  It 
was  an  impassioned  plea  for  more  labourers. 
After  speaking  of  the  needs  of  the  great  peninsula 
of  India,  he  pleaded  eloquently  and  forcibly  for 
the  12,000,000  souls,  around  them.  **  It  is 
enough,"  he  said,  '*  to  know  that  they  are  your 
brethren,  that  they  are  idolaters  and  in  ignorance 
of  their  Maker  and  Redeemer,  and  that  you  can, 
if  you  will,  send  them  the  Gospel.  *  *  What 
will  you  do  ?  I  will  endeavour  as  God  shall  enable 
me,  so  to  labour  here  on  the  spot,  that  the  blood 
of  these  souls  shall  not  be  found  in  my  skirts. 
*     *     I  will  endeavour  as  a  watchman  at  my  post, 


Gordon  Hall  145 

faithfully  to  report  what  I  see.  Woe  Is  me  if  I 
proclaim  not  the  wants  of  this  people." 

A  month  after  this  appeal  was  written,  Mr. 
Hall  entered  upon  his  last  missionary  tour.  He 
was  anxious  at  this  time  to  visit  two  populous  and 
important  cities  a  hundred  miles  or  more  from 
Bombay,  Treembukeshwar  and  Nasick. 

Two  Christian  lads  who  had  for  some  time 
lived  in  the  mission  famiHes  in  Bombay,  accom- 
panied Mr.  Hall.  On  the  tenth  day  after  leaving 
Bombay,  Treembukeshwar  was  reached ;  Mr.  Hall 
found  the  people  in  great  consternation  on  ac- 
count of  the  appearance  of  cholera  in  their  midst. 
He  remained  three  or  four  days  with  the  terror- 
stricken  people  administering  medicines  to  the 
sick,  distributing  books  and  preaching  the  Gospel 
wherever  he  could  find  any  willing  to  listen  to  his 
message.  He  then  went  on  to  Nasick  and  here 
too  he  found  the  cholera  raging,  more  than  two 
hundred  dying  on  the  day  following  his  arrival. 
Among  the  distressed  inhabitants,  the  patient, 
sympathetic  missionary  moved  like  an  angel  of 
mercy  until  he  had  nearly  exhausted  his  supply 
of  medicines,  his  books  and  his  strength  for 
preaching  the  Gospel.  On  the  morning  of  the  8th 
of  March,  weary  and  sore  of  heart,  Mr.  Hall 
turned  his  face  toward  Bombay.  About  10  o'clock 
in  the  evening  he  reached  Doorlee-D'hapoon, 
thirty  miles  from  Nasick.  There  was  no  hos- 
pitably open  door  to  receive  the  weary  traveller 
and  no  friendly  voice  to  welcome  him,  but  he  was 


146    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

glad  to  reach  a  place  where  he  might  rest.  He 
spread  his  mat  in  the  veranda  of  a  heathen  temple 
by  the  wayside  and  covering  himself  with  a 
blanket  tried  to  sleep.  Chilled  by  the  wind,  he 
rose  and  sought  a  less  exposed  resting-place.  In 
this  he  succeeded,  but  as  the  place  was  occupied 
by  two  sick  men,  one  of  whom  soon  died,  Mr.  Hall 
returned  to  the  temple  veranda. 

About  four  o'clock  on  the  following  morning, 
unrefreshed,  Mr.  Hall  roused  the  two  lads  who 
had  been  his  companions  and  began  making  ar- 
rangements for  continuing  the  journey,  when  he 
was  seized  with  cholera.  So  sudden  and  so  vio- 
lent were  the  spasms  that  the  stricken  man  fell 
helpless  to  the  ground.  The  terrified  lads  laid 
their  loved  friend  and  teacher  on  his  mat.  Mr. 
Hall  then  prepared  and  attempted  to  swallow  a 
small  quantity  of  medicine  which  he  had  put 
aside  in  case  of  need,  but  this  was  immediately 
rejected.  He  then  told  his  attendants  that  he 
should  not  recover  and  with  surprising  calmness 
proceeded  to  give  directions  to  the  lads  concern- 
ing his  watch  and  other  things  in  his  possession 
and  also  as  to  the  disposition  of  his  body.  He 
assured  the  weeping  lads  that  he  should  soon  be 
with  Christ.  He  exhorted  the  heathen  who  had 
gathered  about  him  to  forsake  the  idols  in  which 
they  trusted  and  to  put  all  their  trust,  in  Jesus, 
the  only  Saviour.  He  then  prayed  very  fervently 
for  the  dear  absent  ones  of  his  own  household, 
for  his  missionary  associates  and  for  the  heathen 


Gordon  Hall  147 

around  him.  This  prayer  ended,  the  sufferer 
thrice  repeated  "  Glory  to  Thee,  O  God !  "  and 
yielded  up  his  spirit. 

His  illness  had  lasted  only  eight  hours.  The 
lads  at  once  began  to  carry  out  the  instructions 
they  had  received  concerning  the  burial.  With 
much  difficulty  they  procured  a  place  for  a  grave. 
Into  this,  when  prepared,  wrapped  in  his  blanket 
and  coffinless,  with  blinding  tears  and  trembling 
hands  the  boys  lowered  the  body.  The  grave  was 
then  filled  and  in  his  lonely  resting-place,  the  loved 
teacher  was  left. 

"  Strange  olive  brows  with  tears  were  wet. 

As  a  lone  grave  was  made 
And  there,  'mid  Asia's  arid  sands, 

Salvation's  herald  laid. — 
But  bright  that  shroudless  clay  shall  burst 

From  its  uncoffined  bed, 
When  the  Archangel's  awful  trump 

Convokes  the  righteous  dead."  * 

Though  so  early  taken,  for  at  the  time  of  his 
death  Mr.  Hall  was  but  forty-two  years  of  age, 
he  had  done  a  great  work,  since  to  him  more  than 
to  any  other  one  individual,  was  due  the  establish- 
ment of  the  first  Protestant  mission  on  the  western 
coast  of  India.  For  such  a  work  he  was  eminently 
fitted.  A  combination  of  good  qualities  made  him 
a  superior  man.  His  piety  was  fervid  and  burned 
with  a  steady  flame.     He  had  persevering  indus- 

*  L.  H.  Sigourney. 


r 


148    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

try,  sobriety  of  judgment  and  great  decision  of 
character. 

As  we  see  from  the  earnest  and  eloquent  appeal 
to  Christians   in  America  on  behalf  of  the  un- 
evangelised   in  heathen   lands   which    Mr.    Hall 
wrote  but  a  short  time  before  his  death,  in  the 
infancy  of  missions  as  now|  the  Christian  people 
at  home  expected  of  their  representatives  abroad 
a  degree  of  self-sacrificing  devotion  which  they 
•    were  unwilling  to  apply  to  themselves.    From  this 
\  appeal  the  following  is  quoted :  *'  The  churches 
\  now  as  in  all   former  ages,   deem   it  right  and 
highly  commendable  for  some  of  Christ's  disciples 
to  renounce  all  prospects  of  worldly  emolument 
and  ease,  to  commit  themselves  and  their  families 
i  if  they  have  any,  under  Providence,  into  the  hands 
{  of  charity, — to  forego  the  comforts  and  endear- 
I  ments  of  civilised  society  and  Christian  friends, 
I  to  brave  every  danger,  whether  from  the  raging 
I  billows  of  the  ocean,  the  sickly  climate,  or  the 
I  sanguinary  barbarian  and  to  meet  death  in  what- 
I  ever  time,  place  or  form  it  may  be  allotted  them, 
I  — and  all  this  for  the  sake  of  preaching  Christ  to 
\  the  heathen,  ;if  By  approving  and,  as  is  the  fact, 
requiring  tlii^  of  their  missionaries,  they  do  virtu- 
ally bind  themselves  to  make  corresponding  sacri- 
fices and  exertions  to  the  same  end.     I  am  not 
pleading  that  missionaries  should  be  eased  of  their 
burdens  or  alleviated  in  their  sacrifices.     No,  I 
plead  with  Christians  that  they  would  act  con- 
sistently.    I  entreat  them  to  behold  in  what  they 


Gordon  Hall  149 

require  of  their  missionaries,  the  measure  of  their 
own  duty  to  Christ  and  to  the  heathen.  Until  a 
principle  of  action  more  commensurate  with  other 
duty  enjoined,  is  adopted  and  the  work  of  evan- 
gelising the  heathen  is  more  equally  shared 
among  Christians  generally,  as  was  the  fact  in 
the  first  ages  of  the  church,  we  have  no  good 
reason  to  expect  that  the  world  will  be  con- 
verted." 

In  reference  to  the  powerful  appeals  sent  to 
Christian  lands  by  Mr.  Hall  and  his  colleagues,  an 
English  writer  says,  ''  They  served  to  keep  alive 
and  extend  in  America  and  even  in  England,  the 
principle  and  spirit  of  missions  to  the  heathen, 
which  led  in  a  few  years  to  the  diffusion  of  the 
Gospel  from  the  Western  world  to  all  parts  of 
the  globe  and  gave  promise  of  abounding  more 
and  more  until  the  whole  world  shall  be  full  of 
the  knowledge  and  glory  of  the  Lord.  Through 
these  eloquent  and  forcible  appeals,  those  early 
labourers  though  dead,  yet  speak  to  us.  The 
manifold  blessings  from  above  which  rested  on  the 
several  branches  of  their  operations,  tended  to  en- 
courage others  to  enter  upon  the  same  field  of 
labour  and  in  some  measure  prepared  their  way." 


VI 

CHARLES    T.    E.    RHENIUS 
1814-1838 

Outside  of  India  the  name  of  Rhenius  is  not 
widely  known,  yet  he  was  a  missionary  of  great 
eminence.  Of  him,  the  late  Bishop  Caldwell,  him- 
self in  the  front  rank  of  modern  missionaries, 
wrote,  ''  He  occupied  the  foremost  position  among 
missionaries,  not  only  in  Tinnevelly  where  he 
laboured  from  1820  to  1838,  but  in  Southern  India 
during  the  whole  of  his  Indian  life,  and  the  ques- 
tion is,  whether  his  name  is  not  entitled  to  oc- 
cupy the  principal  place  in  the  list  of  the  various 
Societies  since  the  time  of  Schwartz ;  that  is,  dur- 
ing the  whole  of  the  present  century/  He  was 
one  of  the  ablest,  most  clear-sighted,  practical 
and  zealous  missionaries  that  India  has  ever  seen. 
He  was  a  man  of  great  administrative  power,  fer- 
vent missionary  zeal,  an  excellent  preacher  and 
speaker  in  the  vernacular,  as  well  as  a  writer  of 
unusual  merit,  and  one  of  the  hardest  and  most 
continuous  workers  with  which  India  has  been 
blest."/ 

ISO 


Charles  T.  E.  Rhenius  151 

Charles  Theophilus  Ewald  Rhenius  was  born  j 
on  the  5th  of  November,  1790,  at  the  fortress 
Graudens,  in  the  province  of  West  Prussia.  His 
father,  an  officer  in  the  Prussian  army,  died  when 
this  son  was  six  years  old.  Until  his  fourteenth 
year,  Charles  remained  at  home  in  the  care  of  his 
mother.  Three  years  were  then  spent  in  the  office 
of  an  uncle  who  held  a  civil  appointment  under 
Government.  When  seventeen  years  of  age,  the 
youth  went  to  reside  with  a  childless  uncle.  "  I 
was  received  with  the  love  of  a  father  and  enjoyed 
the  rights  of  a  son,"  wrote  the  young  man  of  his 
reception  and  residence  with  this  relative.  The 
year  in  which  Charles  entered  the  home  of  this 
uncle  was  memorable  as  being  that  in  which  he 
was  directed  to  a  knowledge  of  divine  things. 
From  this  time,  it  became  his  earnest  desire  to 
follow  the  leadings  of  the  Master. 

The  perusal  of  missionary  publications  turned  \ 
his  thoughts  to  the  work  of  a  missionary  abroad,  I 
and  in  his  uncle  he  found  a  sympathetic  friend 
and  a  wise  counsellor.  In  1810,  Mr.  Rhenius  en- 
tered a  seminary  in  Berlin  which  had  but  a  short 
time  before  been  established  for  preparing  young 
men  for  entering  upon  missionary  work.  Paying 
a  visit  to  his  mother  on  his  way  to  Berlin,  he  told 
her  that  he  was  going  to  study  theology,  but  said 
nothing  of  his  desire  to  become  a  foreign  mission- 
ary. The  mother-heart,  however,  took  alarm  for 
when  the  time  for  parting  came,  she  said  with 
tears,  **  Charles,  only  do  not  go  over  the  sea." 


152    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

"  But  what,  dear  mother,  am  I  to  do,  should  the 
Lord  so  order  it,"  was  his  reply. 

His  course  of  preparatory  study  completed,  Mr. 
Rhenius  was  ordained  at  Berlin  as  a  minister  of 
the  Established  Church  of  Prussia,  the  Lutheran 
Church,  on  August  12th,  1812.  More  than  a 
year  was  then  spent  in  England,  a  part  of  this 
time  under  the  roof  of  the  Rev.  Thomas  Scott, 
a  further  preparation  for  the  work  upon  which 
he  expected  to  enter. 

On  the  4th  of  February,  1814,  in  company  with 
Mr.  Schnarre,  also  under  appointment  as  a  mis- 
sionary, Mr.  Rhenius  left  London  for  Portsmouth 
en  route  for  India.  Madras  was  reached  on  the 
fourth  of  the  following  July.  On  the  20th  of  the 
same  month  the  two  missionaries  left  Madras  for 
Tranquebar.  Here  Mr.  Rhenius  remained  until 
January  of  the  following  year,  engaged  in  the 
study  of  the  language.  He  then  returned  to 
Madras,  as  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  under 
whose  auspices  he  was  labouring,  desired  to  estab- 
lish a  mission  at  the  Capital  of  Southern  India. 

On  his  settlement  in  Madras,  Mr.  Rhenius  be- 
gan to  make  use  of  the  knowledge  he  had  acquired 
in  the  vernacular,  while  at  the  same  time  con- 
tinuing his  studies.  He  found  his  first  field  of 
labour  in  the  garden  in  which  his  dwelling-house 
was  situated,  as  within  the  inclosure  was  a  place 
of  heathen  worship,  to  which  persons  in  the 
vicinity  resorted.  He  soon  opened  a  school  for 
boys,  as  he  regarded  the  instruction  of  the  young 


Charles  T.  E.  Rhenius  153 

as  a  very  important  department  of  missionary- 
work.  He  introduced  portions  of  Scripture  as 
reading-lessons,  and  required  the  pupils  to  com- 
mit to  memory  the  ten  commandments. 

When  Mr.  Rhenius  had  been  less  than  two  years  , 
in  the  country,  he  was  asked  to  undertake  the  re- ; 
vision  of  the  Tamil  Scriptures.    Though  evincing! 
great  talent  in  the  acquisition  of  the  language,  he 
was  by  no  means  fully  equipped  for  such  a  work,, 
and  it  was  twelve  years  before  his  version  of  the 
New  Testament,  which  was  in  reality  a  new  trans- 
lation,  rather  than  a  revision,   issued   from  the; 
press.    At  his  death,  after  a  residence  of  twenty- i 
four  years  in  India,  the  Old  Testament  was  left 
unfinished. 

In  1817  a  church  was  organised.  The  number 
of  schools  had  increased,  and  from  the  pupils  in 
these  schools,  the  most  promising  were  selected 
and  received  special  training,  with  the  view  of 
fitting  them  to  become  teachers.  Mr.  Rhenius 
in  the  first  instance  prepared  his  Tamil  grammar 
for  use  in  these  normal  schools. 

In  the  summer  of  1817,  Government  sanctioned 
the  erection  of  a  church  in  the  city  of  Madras 
for  the  worship  of  the  Tamil  congregation,  but 
some  of  the  more  bigoted  Hindus,  alarmed  at  the 
progress  Christianity  was  making,  presented  a 
petition,  praying  the  Government  to  withdraw 
the  permission  granted  for  the  building  of  a 
church  in  the  city.  Fearing  the  consequences  of 
a  conflict  with  the  people,  the  English  authorities 


154    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

returned  a  favourable  answer  to  this  petition. 
Though  greatly  disappointed,  Mr.  Rhenius  was 
not  cast  down  by  the  turn  affairs  had  taken,  and 
continued  to  labour  with  his  accustomed  zeal.  To 
his  other  engagements  he  added  touring  in  the 
district,  in  order  to  reach  those  who  might  not 
otherwise  be  made  acquainted  with  the  Gospel 
message,  and  also  to  visit  the  schools  which  had 
been  established  among  the  rural  population.  He 
began  also  a  regular  system  of  instruction  for  the 
teachers,  assigning  to  each  a  portion  of  Scripture 
which  he  was  expected  to  study  and  upon  which 
he  was  required  to  pass  an  examination. 

In  the  autumn  of  1818  a  society  was  organised 
by  Mr.  Rhenius,  comprising  Christians  of  all 
classes,  Europeans  and  natives  of  the  country, 
and  called  the  Religious  Tract  Society  of  Madras. 
This  was  the  beginning  of  a  very  important  en- 
terprise, the  usefulness  of  which  has  increased 
from  year  to  year. 

The  Roman  Catholic  missionaries  of  South 
India  claimed  a  large  number  of  adherents,  and 
these  were  not  required  to  renounce  caste.  The 
first  Protestant  missionaries  to  India  did  not  toler- 
ate caste,  but  their  successors  in  the  Danish  Tran- 
quebar  Mission,  while  protesting  against  caste  as 
an  unhallowed  institution  and  opposed  to  the  spirit 
of  Christianity,  did  not  require  their  converts  at 
once  and  utterly  to  renounce  caste,  trusting  that 
when  imbued  with  the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  they 


Charles  T.  E.  Rhenius  155 

would  voluntarily  relinquish  it.  But  unhappily 
these  hopes  had  not  been  realised.  Mr.  Rhenius 
resolved  therefore  in  the  beginning  of  his  career 
as  a  missionary  to  set  his  face  steadfastly  against 
this  giant  foe  to  the  advancement  of  the  Re- 
deemer's kingdom. 

During  the  year  1 8 19,  he  and  his  fellow-labour- 
ers had  much  cause  for  gratitude  in  the  fact  that 
the  hostile  feeling  in  the  minds  of  some  of  the 
influential  natives  of  Madras  had  so  far  abated 
that  the  objections  hitherto  raised  against  the 
erection  of  a  Christian  church  in  the  city,  were 
withdrawn,  and  on  the  30th  of  June  the  corner- 
stone of  the  house  of  prayer  was  publicly  laid, 
and  the  work  went  forward  unopposed. 

After  six  fruitful  years  spent  in  Madras,  Mr. 
Rhenius  was  appointed  to  a  new  field,  the  province 
of  Tinnevelly,  four  hundred  miles  south  of 
Madras,  and  here  he  was  to  do  a  great  work  for 
India. 

Palamcotta,  the  headquarters  of  the  Govern- 
ment of  this  province,  had  been  visited  by  Mr. 
Schwartz  in  1778,  and  he  had  baptised  the  widow 
of  a  Brahmin,  who  had  been  one  of  the  servants 
of  the  Rajah  of  Tan j ore.  This  woman  had  applied 
for  baptism  while  living  in  Tanjore,  but  on  ac- 
count of  her  manner  of  life  at  the  time,  the  mis- 
sionary felt  that  he  could  not  administer  the  rite. 
Now  she  seemed  a  true  disciple  of  the  Lord.  This 
woman's  subsequent  life  adorned  her  profession, 


156    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

and  of  her  own  means  she  contributed  largely 
toward  the  erection  of  the  first  Christian  church 
in  Palamcotta.  Two  years  after  this  visit  of  Mr. 
Schwartz,  a  church  of  forty  members  was  organ- 
ised. Schwartz  paid  a  second  visit  to  Palamcotta 
in  1785,  remaining  several  weeks  and  preaching 
twice  and  sometimes  thrice  daily.  When  he  re- 
turned to  his  labours  in  Tanjore  he  left  to  shep- 
herd the  church,  then  numbering  eighty  persons, 
his  faithful  catechist  Satthianadhan.  European 
missionaries  were  sent  to  Tinnevelly  from  time 
to  time,  but  none  remained  for  a  very  long  period. 
In  18 16  there  was  sent  to  Palamcotta  as  garri- 
son chaplain  to  the  European  troops,  the  Rev. 
James  Hough,  a  man  "  who  like  Henry  Martyn, 
united  to  the  official  duties  of  a  chaplain,  a  volun- 
tary devotion  to  the  duties  of  a  missionary."  Mr. 
Hough  found  at  this  time  in  the  province  of  Tin- 
nevelly over  three  thousand  persons  bearing  the 
Christian  name.  These  Christians  had  been  under 
the  superintendence  of  the  missionaries  in  Tan- 
jore, and  were  connected  with  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel.  When  Mr.  Rhenius 
was  transferred  from  Madras  to  Tinnevelly,  he 
was  requested  by  the  missionaries  of  Tanjore,  to 
undertake  the  superintendence  of  these  sheep 
without  a  shepherd,  in  connection  with  his  work 
for  his  own  society.  The  new  mission  soon  out- 
stripped the  old,  and  at  the  close  of  his  connec- 
tion with  the  Church  Missionary  Society,  after 
sixteen  years  of  labour,  the  number  of  those  gath- 


Charles  T.  E.  Rhenius  157 

ered  out  from  the  heathen  and  enrolled  under  his 
pastoral  care  was  above  10,000. 

He  reached  the  field  where  he  was  to  labour 
with  such  signal  success,  on  the  7th  of  July,  1820, 
and  in  the  October  following  he  was  joined  by  his 
friend  and  co-labourer  in  Madras,  the  Rev.  B. 
Schmid.  The  two  ardent  missionaries,  full  of 
faith,  entered  upon  a  most  energetic  crusade 
against  the  powers  of  evil.  To  the  heathen  the 
Gospel  was  preached,  not  only  in  the  large  towns 
of  Tinnevelly  and  Palamcotta,  but  in  the  sur- 
rounding villages ;  and  schools  were  established. 

Though  engaged  in  a  multiplicity  of  labours, 
Mr.  Rhenius  continued  the  work  of  translating 
the  Scriptures  into  Tamil.  He  also  prepared  a 
Harmony  of  the  Gospels,  a  work  which  has  been 
extensively  used  in  South  India.  Mrs.  Sher- 
wood's "  Indian  Pilgrim,"  which  had  been  trans- 
lated from  English  into  Tamil  was  carefully  re- 
vised by  Mr.  Rhenius.  He  found  time,  in  the 
midst  of  an  exceptionally  busy  life,  to  prepare 
several  tracts,  in  English  and  in  the  vernaculars. 
A  training  school  was  established  for  the  more 
thorough  education  of  those  who  gave  promise 
of  being  useful  among  their  fellow-countrymen  as 
teachers  or  catechists.  As  converts  multiplied 
from  among  the  heathen  and  congregations  were 
formed,  all,  even  those  receiving  the  smallest  in- 
come were  taught  to  contribute  toward  the  build- 
ing and  the  repairs  of  the  house  of  worship,  oil 
for  the  lamps  and  other  congregational  expenses. 


158    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

At  Tinnevelly,  as  in  Madras,  a  Religious  Tract 
Association  was  formed,  and  the  results  were 
highly  encouraging. 

During  the  Christmas  season  of  1823,  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  persons  arrived  in  Palamcotta  from 
out-lying  villages,  some  of  them  distant  twenty- 
five  or  thirty  miles  from  the  central  station,  ap- 
parently with  the  single  desire  to  hear  the  Word 
of  the  Lord,  having  brought  with  them  a  four 
days'  supply  of  food,  that  they  might  be  charge- 
able to  no  one. 

X  During  the  tour  undertaken  early  in  the  year 
1825,  Mr.  Rhenius  baptised  twenty  persons  in  one 
village  who  had  previously  been  under  instruc- 
tion. In  an  adjoining  village  visited  on  the  same 
day  in  which  these  baptisms  had  taken  place,  al- 
most all  the  inhabitants  of  the  village  were  found 
assembled  before  the  village  temple.  They  ex- 
pressed a  desire  to  place  themselves  under  Chris- 
tian instruction,  and  in  proof  of  their  sincerity 
agreed  to  break  down  the  wall  in  the  middle  of 
their  temple  and  provide  the  room  thus  enlarged 
with  windows,  to  serve  as  a  place  for  Christian 
worship.     Nor  was  this  an  isolated  instance. 

During  the  summer  of  this  year  Mr.  Rhenius 
made  a  list  of  the  villages  in  which  there  were 
Christians.  In  ninety  villages  there  were  838 
families  under  Christian  instruction,  comprising 
more  than  3,000  souls.  Of  the  responsibility  en- 
tailed by  such  an  ingathering,  he  wrote,  "  The 
instruction  of  these  souls  is  of  paramount  im- 


Charles  T.  E.  Rhenius  159 

portance.  Those  who  have  embraced  Christianity 
have  received  no  favour,  unless  it  be  a  favour 
to  be  regarded  and  protected  as  well  as  the  heathen 
community." 

On  the  3rd  of  January,  1826,  the  foundation- 
stone  of  a  house  of  worship  was  laid  in  Palam- 
cotta.  The  work  was  rapidly  pushed  forward  and 
on  the  26th  of  the  following  June,  the  completed 
edifice  was  solemnly  dedicated  to  the  worship  of 
God.  The  work  in  the  district  continued  to  grow, 
and  at  the  end  of  1829  there  were  more  than 
6,000  under  Christian  instruction.  The  number 
of  schools  had  increased  to  43.  With  the  opening 
of  each  year  a  dedicatory  service  was  held  when 
the  people  from  the  villages,  near  and  remote,  as- 
sembled at  Palamcotta.  The  mercies  of  the  year 
just  closed  were  gratefully  acknowledged,  and 
fervent  prayers  were  offered  for  a  continuance  of 
these  mercies  for  the  coming  year. 

There  was  thus  maintained  a  bond  of  union 
between  the  parent  church  and  the  converts  from 
the  out-lying  villages.  Differences  were  adjusted 
on  these  occasions,  the  timid  were  encouraged 
and  the  perverse  and  the  careless  were,  in  many 
instances,  led  to  turn  from  the  error  of  their  ways 
and  to  walk  in  newness  of  life. 

The  year  1832  was  one  long  remembered  in 
Tinnevelly  because  of  the  severe  drought'  and 
consequent  famine,  as  well  as  for  the  ravages  of 
cholera  To  foster  the  spirit  of  self-help,  a  poor 
fund  had  been  established,  in  connection  with  the 


i6o    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Christian  congregations.  In  this  time  of  distress 
the  amount  raised  for  this  fund,  by  the  people  of 
the  country,  was  augmented  by  liberal  gifts  from 
the  European  residents  of  Palamcotta.  Among 
the  famine  and  cholera  stricken  people,  Mr. 
Rhenius  moved  like  an  angel  of  mercy.  We  find 
him  in  the  midst  of  his  trying  labours  at  this 
time  preparing  a  tract  on  cholera.  "  The  heathen 
in  this  awful  time  are  mad  with  their  idols,"  wrote 
Mr.  Rhenius.  Accordingly  a  tract  on  idolatry 
which  had  just  come  from  the  press  was  widely 
circulated  both  in  Tinnevelly  and  in  the  district. 

In  the  year  1833,  the  Rev.  Joseph  Wolff,  the 
celebrated  missionary  to  the  Jews,  visited  Palam- 
cotta, and  in  his  volume  entitled  *'  Researches  and 
Missionary  Labours,''  thus  alludes  to  this  visit: 
The  congregation  from  among  the  heathen  at 
Tinnevelly,  amounted  to  10,694  souls,  comprised 
in  3,075  families,  living  in  238  villages  and  in- 
structed in  the  Word  of  God  by  109  catechists. 
Of  this  number,  2,086  are  baptised,  the  rest  are 
candidates  for  baptism.  There  are  iii  schools. 
In  these  schools  all  the  pupils  receive  Christian 
instruction. 

Of  Mr.  Rhenius,  Mr.  Wolff  says,  "  The  great- 
est missionary,  I  believe,  who  has  ever  appeared 
since  the  times  of  the  Apostles,  more  enterpris- 
ing, more  bold  and  more  talented  than  even 
Schwartz  himself." 

The  majority  of  the  people  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts, on  becoming  Christians,  remained  in  the 


Charles  T.  E.  Rhenius  i6i 

same  villages  where  they  had  lived  as  heathens; 
but  when  the  band  was  small  or  at  so  remote  a 
distance  from  the  central  station,  that  it  was 
difficult  properly  to  instruct  the  converts,  or  to 
exercise  Christian  discipline,  separate  Christian 
communities  were  formed  in  more  convenient  lo- 
calities. For  this  purpose  land  was  purchased, 
generally  at  a  very  trifling  cost,  and  those  who 
forsook  idolatry,  were  formed  into  a  Christian 
community,  a  catechist  was  appointed,  a  school 
opened  and  a  little  chapel  or  house  of  prayer 
erected,  usually  jointly  by  the  people  and  the 
society.  At  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  the 
villagers  were  assembled  for  prayer,  after  which 
they  went  forth  to  their  daily  labour.  In  the 
evening  they  again  assembled  for  instruction. 
Prayer  was  offered,  a  hymn  of  praise  sung,  and 
they  then  returned  to  their  homes. 

As  the  number  of  Christian  villages  increased, 
an  Association  was  formed  under  the  title  of  the 
Native  Philanthropic  Society,  having  for  its  ob- 
ject primarily  the  rendering  of  assistance  to  the 
poorer  Christian  natives  in  their  temporal  affairs, 
such  as  the  acquisition  of  land,  the  building  of 
school  and  prayer-houses,  and  thus  reHeving  the 
foreign  missionary  from  such  cares. 

A  Friend-in-Need  Society  was  established  and 
each  district  was  expected  to  care  for  its  own 
poor.  There  was  also  a  Widows'  Fund  Society, 
for  relieving  needy  widows  of  catechists  and 
school-masters. 


1 62    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

In  1835  a  Native  Missionary  Society  was  or- 
ganised for  the  maintenance  of  catechists  who 
might  be  sent  outside  the  bounds  of  the  province. 
The  missionary  prayer-meeting  was  full  of  life 
and  interest.  In  these  meetings  not  only  the  work 
in  which  the  people  themselves  were  engaged, 
was  remembered,  but  prayer  was  offered  for 
Christian  work  in  all  lands,  and  with  the  aid  of 
a  map  before  the  audience,  a  definite  idea  was 
given  of  the  work  in  progress  throughout  the 
world,  as  well  as  of  the  regions  yet  untouched  by 
the  Gospel.  *'  Almost  every  social  meeting, "  wrote 
Mr.  Rhenius,  **  becomes  a  missionary  meeting, 
when  missionary  matters  are  communicated,  dis- 
cussed and  consulted  about." 

The  great  activity  of  Mr.  Rhenius,  inspired  by 
an  ardent  love  for  souls  and  zeal  for  the  Master's 
service,  accompanied  by  a  marvellous  power  of 
influencing  others,  together  with  the  self-denying 
labours  of  several  like-minded  coadjutors,  had 
been  greatly  blessed  of  God.  Great  numbers  of 
the  people  of  the  country,  through  these  labours, 
had  been  led  to  embrace  Christianity.  A  large 
body  of  native  teachers,  chiefly  trained  by  Mr. 
Rhenius  and  labouring  under  the  direction  and 
control  of  himself  and  his  brother  missiona;-ies, 
were  helping  forward  the  work.  Several  of  the 
catechists,  in  the  judgment  of  the  missionaries, 
were  worthy  of  ordination.  Though  labouring  in 
connection  with  the  Church  Missionary  Society, 
Mr.  Rhenius,  as  a  Lutheran  clergyman,  naturally 


Charles  T.  E.  Rhenius  163 

desired  to  ordain  the  men  he  had  trained  accord- 
ing to  the  order  of  the  Lutheran  Church,  plead- 
ing as  a  precedent  the  practice  of  the  missionaries 
working  under  the  auspices  of  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Tan j  ore,  who 
had  themselves  ordained  native  catechists.  But 
to  such  a  course  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
declined  to  give  consent,  calling  attention  to  the 
fact  that  the  ordinations  which  had  been  sanc- 
tioned in  connection  with  the  work  in  Tan  j  ore, 
had  taken  place  before  the  establishment  of  the 
Episcopate  in  India,  while  there  was  at  this  time 
a  Bishop  of  their  own  church  in  the  country. 

In  consequence  of  these  diflferences,  in  May, 
1835,  Mr.  Rhenius  decided,  for  the  sake  of  peace 
to  leave  the  field  where  his  labours  had  been  so 
greatly  blessed,  and  establish  an  independent  mis- 
sion elsewhere.  With  a  heavy  heart  he  left  his 
beloved  Tinnevelly.  But  he  was  not  long  in  de- 
ciding that  he  had  acted  unadvisedly  in  withdraw- 
ing, and  at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  many  who 
had  been  led  to  Christ  through  his  instrumentality, 
he  decided  to  return.  The  property  which  had 
been  acquired,  he  felt  belonged  properly  to  the 
Church  Missionary  Society,  but  the  people  gath- 
ered from  among  the  heathen  through  the  bless- 
ing of  the  Lord  upon  his  labours,  and  the  labours 
of  his  missionary  associates,  had,  he  was  con- 
vinced, a  peculiar  claim  upon  him. 

When  he  decided  to  leave  Tinnevelly,  his  mis- 
sionary colleagues,  sympathizing  with  his  views 


164    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

also  severed  their  connection  with  the  Society. 
On  the  return  of  their  leader  to  his  former  field, 
these  brethren  rallied  around  him,  and  a  large 
company  of  those  who  had  been  led  to  Christ 
through  their  instrumentality,  threw  in  their  lot 
with  their  beloved  spiritual  fathers.  A  separate 
mission  was  then  formed,  known  as  the  German 
Evangelical  Mission. 

The  new  Society  provided  for  their  use  other 
places  of  worship,  and  so  great  was  the  personal 
influence  of  Mr.  Rhenius,  and  so  highly  was  he 
held  in  esteem  as  a  man  of  God  and  a  labourer 
of  almost  unexampled  zeal  and  devotion,  that  he 
was  able  to  carry  on  every  department  of  the  mis- 
sion, involving  the  pecuniary  support  of  his  three 
European  colleagues,  as  well  as  his  own,  as  con- 
tributions flowed  into  the  treasury  from  European 
friends  in  every  part  of  India,  and  from  various 
parts  of  the  world,  America  not  excepted. 

During  this  period,  which  was  in  some  respects, 
exceedingly  trying,  he  continued  his  literary  la- 
bours finding  peculiar  pleasure  in  the  translation 
of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  into  Tamil.  His  Tamil 
grammar,  a  work  upon  which  he  had  long  been 
engaged,  was  also  completed  and  put  to  press. 
In  his  evangelistic  labours,  as  hitherto,  the  Lord 
greatly  blessed  him  causing  his  heart  to  rejoice 
as  multitudes  *'  turned  from  the  worship  of  dumb 
idols,  to  serve  the  living  God." 

But  the  man  hitherto  so  strong  to  labour  began 
now  to  manifest  unmistakable  signs  of  physical 


Charles  T.  E.  Rhenius  165 

weakness.  His  cares  during  the  whole  of  his 
missionary  career  had  been  heavy  and  his  labours 
unremitting.  Since  he  entered  India  as  a  mis- 
sionary, in  the  summer  of  1814,  he  had  not  left 
the  country  even  for  a  day,  nor  had  he  taken  ad- 
vantage of  a  change  to  the  cooler  and  more  salu- 
brious climate  of  the  mountains,  doubtless  a  mis- 
take, as  with  some  degree  of  relaxation  his  valu- 
able life  might  probably  have  been  much  pro- 
longed. 

On  the  9th  of  May,  1838,  he  wrote  in  his 
journal,  "This  evening  had  the  Lord's  Supper. 
1  am  not  well.  The  heat  is  very  great."  This 
was  the  last  entry  made.  A  letter  to  a  friend 
in  Europe  was  begun  three  days  later,  but  was 
left  unfinished.  His  active  work  for  the  Master 
was  ended,  and  on  the  5th  of  June,  he  passed 
away.  His  sun  went  down  while  it  was  yet  day, 
for  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  had  not  completed 
his  forty-eighth  year.  Twenty-four  years  of  his 
life  had  been  spent  in  India.  He  was  carried  to 
his  grave  amid  great  lamentation.  His  body  rests 
in  a  quiet  spot  not  far  from  the  church  which  he 
built  in  Palamcotta  and  in  which  a  large  Chris- 
tian congregation  still  meets  on  each  Lord's  day 
for  divine  worship.  ''  He  rests  from  his  labours, 
but  his  works  do  follow  him."  His  Tamil  writ- 
ings may  be  looked  upon  as  a  legacy  of  no  mean 
value,  to  the  Christian  Church  of  South  India. 

In  no  part  of  the  great  Indian  peninsula,  is 
missionary  work  in  a  more  advanced  state  than 


1 66    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

in  Tinnevelly,  and  the  work  in  this  most  interest- 
ing field  is  still  carried  on,  on  the  lines  laid  down 
by  Mr.  Rhenius,  more  than  half  a  century  ago. 
The  Tinnevelly  missions  are  in  a  great  measure 
indebted  to  this  wise  master-builder  for  the  pro- 
gressive element  apparent  in  their  history. ^"^  The 
practice  he  introduced,  of  assembling  the  people 
of  every  Christian  village  morning  and  evening 
for  united  prayer,  in  the  church  or  prayer-house, 
a  practice  which  prevails  to  this  day  throughout 
the  missionary  congregations  of  the  Church  of 
England  in  Tinnevelly  and  which  has  gradually 
extended  to  other  missions  in  South  India,  and 
the  various  societies  which  he  organised  which 
still  continue  to  bind  together  the  congregations 
and  to  lead  them  to  care  for  the  needy  and  to 
labour  for  the  extension  of  the  Redeemer's  King- 
dom, are  memorials  of  his  wise  policy  and  saga- 
cious forethought. 


VII 

JOHN  SCUDDER 

1819-1855 

A  CENTURY  ago  a  small  boy,  destined  in  after 
life  to  become  famous  in  the  annals  of  missions 
in  India,  might  frequently  have  been  seen  run- 
ning along  the  streets  of  Freehold,  New  Jersey, 
a  look  of  great  seriousness  on  his  baby  face,  as 
he  was  bent  on  some  errand  of  mercy.  From  a 
merry  game  he  would  turn  with  alacrity  to  help 
any  one  in  distress.  The  little  fellow  was  one 
day  seen  drawing  a  heavy  rail  along  the  street. 
"  John  what  are  you  going  to  do  with  that  ?  " 
asked  a  gentleman  who  knew  the  boy. 

"  I  am  taking  it  to  Miss  Becky,  who  has  no 
fire,"  answered  the  child,  as  he  hurried  forward 
on  his  benevolent  errand.  The  boy  who  thus 
early  manifested  an  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
needy  and  distressed,  was  John  Scudder.  He 
was  born  in  Freehold,  New  Jersey,  on  the  3rd 
of  September,  1793,  and  by  his  pious  parents  was 
dedicated  to  God  at  his  birth.  The  boy  was 
amiable  and  obedient,  and  had  a  conscientious  re- 
gard for  truth. 

167 


1 68    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

"  John  seemed  always  possessed  of  a  Christian 
temper,"  said  his  mother,  when  reference  was 
made  to  the  beginning  of  his  Christian  hfe. 

DiHgent  in  study,  the  youth  was  early  prepared 
to  enter  college.  Princeton  was  the  choice  made 
for  him  by  his  parents,  and  he  entered  with  zest 
upon  his  college  work.  Among  the  students  he 
found  few  who  sympathized  with  him  in  his  re- 
ligious aspirations,  but  this  only  served  to  make 
him  more  faithful  in  trying  to  lead  his  fellow- 
students  to  Christ. 

A  young  man  who  entered  Princeton  college 
but  four  months  before  young  Scudder's  gradua- 
tion, in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Scudder's  father,  gave  this 
account  of  his  first  interview  with  his  son.  He 
was  sitting  one  evening,  soon  after  he  entered  the 
college,  in  a  room  with  some  of  his  classmates, 
when  a  young  man  called  who  was  introduced  to 
him  as  Mr.  Scudder.  He  tarried  only  a  moment, 
but  before  leaving  turned  to  the  stranger,  and  in 
a  most  cordial  manner,  said,  "  V\\  be  happy  to  see 
you  at  No.  47." 

Returning  to  his  lonely  room  the  young  stran- 
ger thought  of  Mr.  Scudder's  hearty  invitation, 
and  with  the  conviction  that  the  companionship 
of  such  a  man  would  be  a  benediction,  he  turned 
his  steps  at  once  toward  No.  47.  Pie  found  Mr. 
Scudder  surrounded  by  his  books,  and  at  once 
frankly  told  him  why  he  had  so  promptly  ac- 
cepted his  invitation.  He  was  not  religious,  he 
said,  but  he  desired  to  form  the  acquaintance  of 


John  Scudder  169 

those  who  were  professedly  so.  Instantly  Mr. 
Scudder  arose,  his  fine  face  aglow,  and  grasping 
the  hand  of  his  visitor  said,  "  That's  right.  Stand 
by  that  and  you  will  never  regret  it."  This  was 
the  beginning  of  a  warm  friendship,  through 
which  the  young  student  was  led  to  decide  for 
Christ. 

At  the  completion  of  his  college  course,  Mr. 
Scudder's  thoughts  were  turned  toward  the  sacred 
ministry ;  but  finding  that  his  father  did  not  cor- 
dially acquiesce  in  this  choice,  he  relinquished  his 
desire  in  favour  of  the  profession  of  medicine, 
feeling  that,  as  a  Christian  physician,  he  could 
serve  his  Master  not  less  truly,  than  as  a  minister 
of  the  Gospel. 

He  graduated  at  the  Medical  College  in  New 
York  in  May,  181 5.  Being  prepared  now  to 
enter  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession,  he  made 
his  location  a  subject  of  earnest  prayer.  The 
Eastern  section  of  the  city  was  suggested  to  him 
as  a  suitable  field,  by  a  friend  in  whom  he  had 
confidence,  and  this  same  friend  kindly  offered  to 
introduce  him  to  a  family  in  which  he  would  find 
not  only  an  agreeable  circle,  but  a  comfortable 
home. 

The  ardent  young  physician,  watching  for  op- 
portunities of  usefulness,  was  soon  well  and 
favourably  known.  The  family  which  had  received 
Dr.  Scudder,  consisted  of  a  widow  with  two  un- 
married daughters  and  two  sons  at  home.  It 
was  a  cultured  and  refined  household,  but  not  a 


lyo    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

professedly  religious  one.  During  the  first  year 
of  his  residence  in  this  family  there  was  much 
religious  interest  in  the  church  which  they  at- 
tended, and  all  came  under  its  influence.  The 
elder  son,  about  this  time  was  drowned  at  sea, 
and  the  hearts  of  the  remaining  members  of  the 
family  were  solemnized  and  softened.  Ere  long 
the  mother,  the  two  daughters  and  the  son  ac- 
knowledged themselves  as  on  the  Lord's  side. 
The  elder  of  the  two  daughters,  lovely  in  person 
and  gentle  in  spirit,  afterward  became  the  wife 
of  Dr.  Scudder,  and  proved  a  noble  help-meet  in  a 
most  self-sacrificing  life. 

T"  When  Dr.  Scudder  decided  to  devote  his  life 
/to  the  profession  of  medicine,  he  resolved,  by  the 
I  help  of  God,  to  be,  not  only  a  physician  to  the 
j  bodies,  but  a  minister,  as  far  as  possible,  to  the 
souls  of  his  patients,  and  this  end  he  kept  con- 
stantly in  view. 

He  prospered  greatly  in  his  profession,  but 
while  his  prospects  of  worldly  advancement  were 
daily  brightening,  an  incident  occurred  which 
changed  the  whole  current  of  his  life.  When 
visiting  a  patient,  he  took  up  from  a  table  in  the 
ante-room  a  tract  entitled  "  The  Claims  of  Six 
Hundred  Millions,  and  the  Ability  and  Duty  of 
the  Churches  Respecting  Them." 

Struck  by  the  title  he  asked  to  be  allowed  to 
take  the  little  book  home  with  him.  He  read 
and  re-read  it  with  an  ever-deepening  conviction 
that  this  was  the  call  of  God  to  him.     In  this 


John  Scudder  171 

momentous  crisis  of  his  life  he  besought  Heavenly- 
guidance.  Soon  he  was  ready  for  himself  to  say, 
"Jesus,  I  go  in  obedience  to  Thy  last  command 
to  preach  the  Gospel  to  those  who  have  it  not." 

When  Miss  Waterbury  consented  to  become 
the  wife  of  Dr.  Scudder,  it  was  with  no  thought 
that  she  would  be  asked  to  leave  her  friends,  and 
her  native  land,  for  a  life  of  self-denial  among 
the  heathen.  How  now  would  she  regard  such 
a  step,  the  husband  asked  himself  again  and 
again.  Could  he  ask  her  to  take  their  fair  and 
frail  little  daughter,  two  years  of  age,  to  a  dis- 
tant heathen  land  ?  After  importunate  prayer,  he 
laid  the  whole  matter  before  Mrs.  Scudder,  tell- 
ing her  that  God  had  made  him  not  only  willing 
but  anxious  to  serve  Him  as  a  missionary  abroad  ; 
but  he  added  that  if  her  heart  was  not  in  sym- 
pathy with  his  heart  in  this  matter,  his  duty  for 
the  present,  at  least,  was  at  home. 

With  a  consecration  as  whole-hearted  as  his 
own,  Mrs.  Scudder  decided  for  the  life  of  a  mis- 
sionary, and  from  this  decision  she  never 
wavered. 

'  When  Dr.  Scudder  made  public  the  change  in 
his  life-plans,  he  was  called  to  encounter  strenu- 
ous opposition,  even  from  his  Christian  friends. 
"  Why,"  they  asked,  "  should  a  man  with  such 
brilliant  prospects  at  home,  go  among  the 
heathen?  Others  less  useful  might  properly  en- 
gage in  such  a  service," — 'a  sentim.ent  that  even 
in  these  days  finds  frequent  expression^ 


172    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Dr.  Scudder  was  a  member  of  the  Dutch  Re- 
formed Church,  but  in  connection  with  this 
church  of  his  choice  there  seemed  no  immediate 
prospect  of  being  sent  abroad  as  a  missionary. 
While  waiting  for  the  Lord  to  lead  him,  he  saw 
in  one  of  the  religious  papers  of  the  city,  a  notice 
that  a  Christian  physician  was  needed,  to  go  to 
India  in  connection  with  the  American  Board  of 
Missions,  at  Boston,  and  he  at  once  offered  him- 
self for  the  post,  expressing  his  readiness  to  go 
at  once,  should  this  be  desired.  His  offer  was 
promptly  accepted,  and  with  all  the  expedition 
possible  he  prepared  to  leave  New  York  for  Bos- 
ton, from  whence,  with  his  family,  he  would  em- 
bark for  India. 

On  the  day  of  their  departure,  Fulton  street 
dock  was  a  scene  of  unusual  excitement.  Dr. 
Scudder  moved  among  the  friends  assembled  to 
bid  them  God-speed,  with  kindling  eye  and  radi- 
ant countenance.  "  Only  give  us  your  prayers — 
that  is  all  I  ask,"  he  left  as  his  parting  message, 
when  the  vessel  swung  loose  from  her  moorings. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Scudder  sailed  from  Boston  in 
the  brig  "  Indus,"  on  the  8th  of  June,  1819,  with 
a  party  sent  out  by  the  American  Board,  consist- 
ing of  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Winslow,  Spaulding, 
Woodward  and  their  wives.  The  Captain  of  the 
"  Indus  "  was  a  Christian,  and  in  full  sympathy 
with  the  missionaries.  Not  only  did  he  seek  by 
every  means  in  his  power  to  promote  their  phy- 
sical comfort,  but  put  the  whole  ship  at  their  dis- 


John  Scudder  173 

posal  as  a  "  floating  Bethel."  Religious  services 
were  held  both  in  the  cabin  and  the  forecastle, 
resulting  in  a  remarkable  spiritual  awakening, 
embracing  the  greater  part  of  the  ship's  crew. 

Calcutta  was  reached  after  a  voyage  of  four 
months.  After  a  short  interval,  Messrs.  Winslow 
and  Spaulding,  with  their  wives,  took  passage 
for  Ceylon.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Woodward  were  de- 
tained by  illness,  and  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Scudder  re- 
mained with  them.  While  they  tarried  in  Cal- 
cutta, the  missionary  party  received  much  kind- 
ness from  Dr.  Carey  and  his  colleagues  at  Ser- 
ampore,  a  kindness  greatly  appreciated,  as  at  this 
time  there  came  to  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Scudder  their 
first  great  sorrow.  Their  little  Maria,  after  an 
illness  of  only  three  days,  went  home  to  her 
Saviour.  Three  months  after  the  death  of  their 
beloved  first-born,  a  second  child  was  given  them, 
who,  "  after  breathing  the  tainted  air  for  one 
week,  closed  her  eyes  forever  and  took  her  flight 
to  join  her  baby  sister."  But  though  so  sorely 
stricken,  the  bereaved  parents  did  not  entertain 
even  a  momentary  regret  at  the  decision  they  had 
made. 

Dr.  Scudder  was  assigned  to  the  Jaffna  Dis- 
trict, in  the  northern  part  of  the  island  of  Ceylon. 
He  had  applied  himself  most  assiduously  to  the 
study  of  the  language  from  the  time  of  his  ar- 
rival in  India,  and  with  such  good  result  that  on 
the  9th  of  July,  he  recorded  in  his  journal  the 
fact  that  he  had  that  day  preached  for  the  first 


1 74    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

time  in  his  new  station.  A  month  later,  ''after 
having  undergone  such  examinations  upon  the- 
ology as  the  brethren  thought  proper,"  he  was 
licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

Every  morning  at  an  early  hour,  he  prescribed 
for  the  sick  who  came  to  him,  first  praying  with 
and  for  them,  and  giving  them  such  Christian 
instruction  as  his  limited  knowledge  of  the  lan- 
guage permitted.  A  hospital  was  soon  opened, 
which  attracted  large  numbers.  But  he  did  not  al- 
low his  medical  work  to  prevent  him  from  labour- 
ing among  the  people  as  an  ambassador  for 
Christ.  We  find  him  not  only  lifting  up  his  voice 
in  the  sanctuary  and  among  his  patients  in  the 
hospital,  but  in  the  highways,  in  the  villages,  and 
wherever  he  could  find  listeners.  Schools  were 
established,  both  day-schools  and  a  boarding- 
school.  In  the  beginning  of  his  missionary 
career,  he  commenced  the  distribution  of  portions 
of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and  of  religious  tracts. 
These  he  could  send  when  he  might  not  go,  and 
the  printed  page  would  be  pondered,  while  the 
spoken  word  might  be  forgotten. 

As  his  work  increased  in  interest  and  magni- 
tude, the  enthusiastic  missionary  sent  to  Chris- 
tian friends  in  America  impassioned  appeals  for 
funds  to  aid  the  work  in  which  he  and  his  asso- 
ciates were  engaged. 

Mrs.  Scudder  proved  a  most  efficient  help-meet 
on  the  mission  field.  She  had  charge  of  the 
"  domestic    concerns "    of    the    boarding-school. 


John  Scudder  175 

taught  classes  in  the  same  school,  had  charge  of 
a  sewing-class  for  women,  supervised  the  day- 
schools  when  Dr.  Scudder  was  absent  from  the 
station,  and  at  the  same  time  looked  well  to  the 
ways  of  her  own  household. 

As  soon  as  his  knowledge  of  the  language  en- 
abled him  to  do  so,  Dr.  Scudder  began  the  prep- 
aration of  tracts  in  the  vernacular.  But  his 
manifold  labours,  which  made  constant  and  ex- 
cessive drafts  upon  both  his  physical  and  mental 
energies,  proved  at  length  a  burden  too  heavy  to 
be  borne.  His  missionary  brethren  decided  that 
rest  and  change  were  imperatively  demanded,  and 
it  was  accordingly  arranged  that  he  should  leave 
Ceylon  for  a  time  and  go  first  to  Madras,  and 
from  thence  to  Bangalore.  This  change  was  of 
essential  benefit  to  Dr.  Scudder's  health,  and  also 
served  another  important  purpose  in  opening  the 
way  for  the  establishment  of  an  American  mis- 
sion in  Madras.  In  the  year  1836,  after  commu- 
nicating with  the  Board  at  home,  Dr.  Scudder 
and  the  Rev.  Myron  Winslow  were  appointed  to 
Madras.  This  transfer  to  a  wider  field  was  very 
acceptable  to  a  man  of  such  intense  mental  ac- 
tivity. He  at  once  began  to  make  plans  for  the 
establishment  of  a  printing-press.  This  depart- 
ment of  labour  was  to  be  placed,  by  mutual  ar- 
rangement, under  the  superintendence  of  Mr. 
Winslow,  leaving  Dr.  Scudder  free  to  go  among 
the  teeming  population  of  the  surrounding  coun- 
try to  proclaim  the  Gospel,  and  to  leave  with  all 


176    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

who  could  read,  portions  of  Scripture  and  tracts 
in  the  vernaculars  of  the  people.  On  these  tours 
he  was  sometimes  absent  for  several  consecutive 
months.  Occasionally  he  had  no  other  shelter 
than  the  palanquin  in  which  he  was  carried,  but 
he  usually  occupied  native  rest-houses.  Very 
comfortless  were  these  shelters,  but  the  disciple 
remembered  the  low  estate  of  his  Master  and 
was  content.  Sometimes  he  was  able  to  avail 
himself  of  more  comfortable  government  bunga- 
lows provided  for  travellers,  and  there  he  could 
find  refuge,  when  the  work  of  the  morning  was 
over,  from  the  consuming  heat,  which  sorely  tried 
him.  Dr.  Scudder  tells  us  in  his  journal  how 
unremitting  were  sometimes  his  labours. 

At  Vellore,  on  one  occasion,  he  took  up  a  posi- 
tion in  a  public  place,  at  seven  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  and  did  not  leave  it  until  six  o'clock  in 
the  evening,  not  pausing  in  his  work  even  to  eat. 
When  exhausted,  coffee  was  brought  him.  It  had 
become  known  that  books  would  be  distributed, 
and  through  the  entire  day  the  throng  pressed 
upon  him.  His  helpers  tried  to  ascertain  who 
among  the  great  numbers  clamouring  for  books 
and  tracts  could  read,  and  to  such  tickets  were 
given,  and  each  possessor  of  a  ticket,  received 
from  the  hand  of  Dr.  Scudder  a  portion  of  Scrip- 
Nture,  or  a  tract. 

While  absent  on  his  tours  into  the  interior.  Dr. 
Scudder  was  frequently  beyond  the  reach  of  postal 
facihties,    in   which    case,    the   wife    at    home. 


John  Scudder  177 

bravely  bearing  the  double  burden  of  caring  for 
her  own  family  and  doing  all  in  her  power  to 
forward  the  interests  of  the  mission,  was  often 
much  concerned  lest  her  husband  should  fall  a 
victim  to  his  zeal.  In  one^  of  his  letters  to  his 
wife,  Dr.  Scudder  wroteC  *'  I  am  doing  a  most 
blessed  work,  and  shall  be  back  just  when  the 
Lord  sees  best.  For  your  comfort  and  joy  think 
of  the  number  of  precious  souls  who  will  prob- 
ably hear  of  Jesus  from  my  mouth  while  absent 
from  you.  Put  yourself,  my  love,  in  their  places. 
Suppose  you  had  never  heard  His  name,  would 
you  not  wish  some  husband  to  leave  his  wife  and 
come  and  tell  you  of  Him  and  put  in  your  hands 
His  word  ?  'V 

"  I  must  travel  as  comfortably  as  possible,"  he 
wrote  in  another  letter.  '*  I  could  go  in  a  com- 
mon cart,  but  it  is  too  hard  for  my  head."  Re- 
ferring to  his  suffering  from  violent  sick-head- 
aches caused  by  fatigue  and  exposure  to  the  sun, 
he  wrote :  *'  It  was  such  exposure,  together 
with  the  fatigue  accompanying  it,  which  shat- 
tered my  constitution  in  182 1.  I  shall  never  look 
back  upon  that  long  tour  I  took  on  foot,  without 
regret."  From  such  experiences  in  the  early 
years  of  his  missionary  life,  he  had  learned  as  he 
afterwards  said,  that-  Health  is  too  important 
to  be  sacrificed  for  a  few  rupees ;  "  a  lesson  which 
many  a  modern  missionary  learns  too  late,  j 

With  deep  solicitude,  Mrs:-Sxiudder  noted  the 
increasing   weariness   induced  by   her  husband's 


lyS    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

trying  exposures  and  unremitting  labours,  and 
begged  him  to  desist ;  urging  that  the  tours  made 
into  the  interior  when  he  was  frequently  long  ab- 
sent from  home  with  insufficient  provision  for  his 
comfort,  were  wearing  him  out  and  herself  as 
well.  In  response  to  this  he  wrote.  "  We  must 
not  think  of  wearing  out  this  thirty  years  while 
so  much  land  remains  to  be  possessed." 

On  one  of  his  tours  he  paid  a  visit  to  Tranque- 
bar.  On  the  Sabbath  spent  in  this  historic  place 
he  preached  to  the  native  congregation  in  the  fine 
church  built  by  Ziegenbalg.  He  also  preached  in 
English  in  the  same  church  to  an  interested  au- 
dience. 

Congenial  in  some  respects  as  was  this  itiner- 
ant life  to  Dr.  Scudder,  yet  he  would  not  have 
chosen  to  spend  so  large  a  portion  of  his  time  in 
this  manner,  had  he  not  felt  in  a  measure  im- 
pelled to  such  a  course.  "  I  find  no  one,"  he 
wrote  on  one  occasion,  "  who  is  willing  to  en- 
gage in  this  great  work  of  the  general  distribu- 
tion of  the  Scriptures  and  tracts.  The  conse- 
quence is  that  much  falls  on  me.  Winslow  pre- 
pares.   I  distribute." 

On  one  of  his  tours  he  crossed  the  Peninsula 
of  India  from  Eastern  coast  to  Western.  He 
was  on  this  occasion  exposed  in  an  unusual  de- 
gree to  the  malaria  which  hangs  like  a  death-pall 
over  some  parts  of  the  country.  On  his  return 
journey  he  was  seized  with  jungle  fever.  Prov- 
identially he  was  at  this  time  within  reach  of 


John  Scudder  179 

medical  aid.  Little  hope  was  entertained  of  his 
recovery,  and  with  all  possible  speed  a  messenger 
was  sent  with  the  sad  tidings  to  Mrs.  Scudder. 
When  the  tidings  reached  her,  she  at  once  pre- 
pared to  go  to  her  husband.  A  kind  friend  pro- 
vided her  with  a  small  tent  and  arranged  for  a 
palanquin  and  bearers  as  well  as  a  necessary 
supply  of  food.  Then  this  heroic  woman  accom- 
panied only  by  her  little  son,  set  out  on  her 
mournful  journey.  When  in  the  heart  of  the 
jungle  and  just  as  darkness  was  coming  on,  the 
palanquin  bearers  hearing  the  roar  of  wild  beasts 
dropped  their  burden  and  fled,  leaving  Mrs. 
Scudder  and  her  child  with  no  earthly  protection. 
Clasping  her  boy  in  her  arms,  the  anxious  mother 
spent  the  long  night  in  prayer.  She  heard  the 
tread  of  wild  elephants  and  the  awful  roar  of  the 
tiger.  Sometimes  they  seemed  approaching,  then 
with  speechless  gratitude  she  heard  the  sound  of 
their  retreating  footsteps.  In  the  early  dawn 
the  bearers  returned,  and  lifting  up  the  palan- 
quin continued  their  journey.  y 
Mrs.  Scudder  found  her  husband  convalescing, 
but  months  elapsed  before  he  was  restored  to 
health,  and  the  shock  to  his  constitution  was  felt 
to  the  end  of  his  life.  The  exacting  and  unre- 
mitting labours  of  this  man  of  God  at  length  broke 
down  a  constitution  almost  herculean.  In  season 
and  out  of  season,  amid  drenching  rains  and 
torrid  suns  he  continued  the  work  to  which  he 
felt  especially  called.     His   appetite   failed,  one 


i8o    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

arm  became  partially  paralysed,  and  he  was  forced 
at  last  to  admit  that  he  must  have  a  season  of 
relaxation  or  die.  "  My  doctor,"  he  wrote  in  one 
of  his  letters,  "  has  ordered  me  to  sea,  and  ad- 
vises a  visit  to  America,  but  still  I  am  somewhat 
strong  to  labourjlLl 

When  Dr.  Scudder  left  America  in  1820,  he 
expected  not  only  to  labour  in  India,  but  to  die 
there,  and  the  thought  of  turning  his  back  upon 
his  adopted  country  seemed  in  some  sense  like  a 
retreat  before  the  enemy.  Yet  there  were  strong 
ties  drawing  him  to  America.  Many  of  the 
friends  he  had  known  and  loved  in  his  young 
manhood  still  survived.  Above  all,  the  sons  who 
had  been  sent  to  the  home  land  to  be  educated, 
longed  once  more  to  behold  the  faces  of  their 
beloved  parents. 

Still  Dr.  Scudder  lingered  in  India,  loath  to 
leave  its  shores ;  but  as  he  did  not  rally  he  was 
impelled  to  accept  the  verdict  of  his  physician 
and  friends  that  the  only  hope  of  restoration  to 
health  lay  in  a  return  to  his  native  land. 

On  the  voyage,  the  invalid  began  to  improve 
and  before  he  reached  America,  he  had  partially 
regained  the  use  of  the  arm  which  had  so  long 
hung  helpless  by  his  side.  Notwithstanding  this 
improvement  in  his  physical  condition,  his  friends 
were  deeply  concerned  to  note  the  changes  that 
disease  and  toil  had  wrought. 

Dr.  Scudder  had  no  thought  of  resting,  though 


John  Scudder  i8i 

so  far  from  robust.  His  soul  yearned  over  the 
millions  of  idolaters  in  India,  and  failing  to 
arouse  in  adult  Christians  a  sense  of  the  respon- 
sibility resting  upon  them  to  give  the  Gospel  to 
the  unevangelised,  he  turned  to  the  children, 
trusting  that  with  the  blessing  of  God,  a  genera- 
tion might  be  raised  up  to  feel  as  their  fathers 
did  not,  a  desire  to  consecrate  themselves,  and  the 
means  given  them  by  God  to  the  blessed  work 
of  making  Christ  known.  For  three  years  this 
consecrated  man,  with  the  burden  of  souls  ever 
resting  upon  him,  traversed  the  American  conti- 
nent from  Georgia  to  Maine,  and  from  East  to 
West,  until  he  had  addressed  over  a  hundred  thou- 
sand children  and  youth.  Everywhere  he  was 
joyfully  received,  fascinating  all  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact  by  the  charm  of  his  manner,  and 
everywhere  finding  his  way  to  the  heart  by  his 
tender  appeals.  "  Jesus  loves  you,*'  he  would  say, 
"  and  He  loves  the  heathen  also,  for  He  tasted 
de^th  for  every  man." 

-Dr.  Scudder  came  to  be  regarded  as  pre- 
eminently the  friend  of  the  children,  and  very 
touching  were  many  of  the  letters  addressed  to 
him.  Some  conveyed  gifts  of  money,  hoarded 
stores  which  were  now  gladly  relinquished  to  aid 
in  sending  the  Gospel  to  India.  Not  a  few  of  the 
children  and  youth  who  listened  to  his  impas- 
sioned appeals  assured  him  that  if  spared  to  be- 
come  men   and   women,   they   hoped    that    God 


1 82    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

would  call  diem  to  India.  Missionary  Societies 
were  organised,  and  wherever  he  went,  a  bless- 
ing attended  the  labours  of  this  zealous  servant. 

The  impression  made  by  Dr.  Scudder's  appeals 
to  the  children  and  youth  were  in  many  cases 
permanent.  One  of  the  secretaries  of  the  Board 
of  Missions  in  Boston  afterwards  said  that  when 
candidates  for  missionary  appointment  had  been 
asked  what  first  turned  their  thoughts  to  the  sub- 
ject of  missions  among  the  heathen,  the  reply  in 
some  instances  had  been,  ''  Dr.  Scudder^s  ad- 
dresses and  appeals  heard  when  a  child."  Among 
the  missionaries  of  marked  devotion  now  labour- 
ing in  India,  is  one,  who,  when  a  child  listened 
to  the  fervid  appeals  of  Dr.  Scudder,  and  then 
formed  the  determination,  which  never  faltered, 
to  give  herself  to  missionary  work  among  the 
people  of  India. 

While  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Scudder  were  in  America 
they  had  the  joy  of  seeing  Henry,  their  eldest  son 
ordained  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry. 
Soon  after  his  ordination  the  young  man  left 
America  to  engage  in  missionary  work  in  India. 
Born  in  Ceylon,  and  having  spoken  the  Tamil 
language  in  his  boyhood,  on  his  return  it  came 
back  to  him  like  a  forgotten  dream,  and  in  five 
months  after  his  arrival  he  was  able  to  use  the 
language  with  surprising  fluency  in  preaching  to 
the  people. 

In  the  autumn  of  1846,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Scudder 
prepared  to  return  to  India.    During  his  sojourn 


John  Scudder  183 

in  the  home  land  he  had  often  said,  "  There  is  no 
place  like  India.  It  is  nearer  heaven  than  Amer- 
ica." Yet  there  was  much  sorrow  in  the  leave- 
taking,  for  all  felt  that  this  was  a  final  farewell. 
On  their  arrival  in  India  in  March,  1847,  Dr. 
Scudder  entered  upon  his  labours  with  renewed 
interest  and  zeal.  In  addition  to  the  work  in 
which  he  had  formerly  been  engaged,  in 
order  to  keep  alive  the  interest  in  missions  which 
his  visit  had  awakened,  he  sent  as  frequently  as 
was  consistent  with  the  discharge  of  his  more 
pressing  duties,  contributions  to  religious  papers 
in  America,  and  at  the  same  time  he  maintained 
an  extensive  correspondence  with  Christian 
friends  in  his  native  land. 

Not  long  after  his  return,  it  was  thought  ex- 
pedient that  he  should  for  a  time  take  up  his 
residence  in  Madura,  in  order  that  the  younger 
brethren  there  might  have  the  benefit,  not  only 
of  his  rich  and  ripe  experience  as  a  missionary, 
but  of  his  eminent  skill  as  a  physician.  After  his 
temporary  transfer  to  Madura,  Dr.  Scudder  be- 
gan in  his  new  field  the  work  to  which  he  had 
hitherto  devoted  so  much  time  and  strength, — 
that  of  touring  through  the  district  for  the  double 
purpose  of  preaching  the  Gospel  and  distribut- 
ing portions  of  Scripture  and  tracts.  Wherever 
he  went,  as  soon  as  it  became  known  that  a  for- 
eign doctor  had  arrived,  crowds  followed  him  as 
they  did  the  Saviour  when  He  was  upon  the 
earth,  the  halt,  the  maimed,  the  leper  and  the 


184    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

blind.  Many  successful  surgical  operations  were 
performed.  By  the  removal  of  cataract,  eyesight 
was  in  many  cases  restored  and  in  his  treatment 
of  cholera  Dr.  Scudder  was  eminently  success- 
ful. So  many  persons  flocked  to  him  for  treat- 
ment and  went  away  benefited  that  the  native 
doctors  of  Madura  took  alarm,  crying  out  that 
the  hope  of  their  gains  was  gone.  They  finally 
resolved  to  resort  to  witchcraft  to  try  to  rid 
themselves  of  their  hated  rival;  but  failing  in 
their  object  decided  that  a  white  skin  must  be 
impervious  to  witchcraft. 

Early  in  the  year  1849  he  returned  with  his 
family  to  Madras.  At  once  he  opened  a  medical 
department  in  connection  with  the  more  direct 
work  of  preaching  the  Gospel,  and  in  the  medical 
work  as  well  as  in  the  evangelistic,  he  received 
most  valuable  assistance  from  his  son  Henry. 

In  the  midst  of  his  manifold  labours  as  a  phy- 
sician to  both  the  body  and  the  soul,  he  prepared 
tracts  and  booklets  which  were  issued  by  the 
American  Tract  Society.  Among  these  may  be 
mentioned  "  The  Redeemer's  Last  Command," 
"  An  Address  to  Christian  Mothers,"  and  "  Tales 
About  the  Heathen."  At  length  his  eyesight 
began  to  fail,  and  total  blindness  was  feared.  Yet 
even  in  the  anticipation  of  so  great  an  affliction 
he  sought  to  find  some  ray  of  comfort.  "  My 
voice  is  good,"  he  said,  ''  and  should  my  eyesight 
fail,  I  could  still  preach  the  everlasting  Gospel." 

A  stalwart  man  both  physically  and  intellectu- 


John  Scudder  185 

ally,  Dr.  Scudder  had,  however,  next  to  his  God, 
turned  to  his  devoted  wife  for  help  and  comfort 
in  times  of  anxiety  and  sorrow.  He  "should  be 
the  first  to  pass  over  Jordan,  he  had  always  felt. 
But  when  such  a  blow  was  least  expected,  Mrs. 
Scudder  was  stricken  down  and  in  a  few  short 
hours  was  brought  face  to  face  with  death.  She 
was  taken  ill  on  Thursday  and  passed  away  on 
the  night  of  the  following  Monday.  To  one 
whose  life  had  been  spent  for  Christ,  death  had 
no  terrors.  It  had  been  Mrs.  Scudder's  custom 
to  devote  the  birthday  of  each  of  her  children 
to  special  prayer  for  that  child.  On  the  birthday 
of  her  son  Silas,  the  mother  had  sent  him  a  letter 
breathing  the  tenderest  love  and  deepest  solici- 
tude for  his  spiritual  welfare.  When  giving  her 
dying  messages  to  the  children  gathered  around 
her  bedside  and  for  the  absent  children,  she  said, 
"  Tell  Silas  that  I  have  written  to  him  in  my  last 
letter  all  that  I  should  wish  to  say  to  him.  I 
spent  half  of  his  last  birthday  in  prayer  for 
him."  When  asked  if  she  wished  all  her  sons 
to  become  missionaries,  she  replied,  "  Yes,  it  has 
been  my  constant  prayer  that  they  might  all  come 
to  this  land  to  preach  the  Gospel.  I  do  not 
desire  that  they  should  come  unless  they  are  pre- 
pared, but  I  wish  them  to  be  fitted  for  this  work." 

Just  before  the  end  came,  she  opened  her  eyes, 
and  with  peculiar  energy,  exclaimed,  "  Glorious 
salvation !  Glorious  heaven !  " 

*'  We  shall  not  long  be  separated,"  Dr.  Scudder 


1 86    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

had  said  to  his  wife  just  before  her  departure. 
Thirty  years  had  these  two  walked  side  by  side 
in  Hfe's  pathway,  and  to  the  survivor,  lonely 
seemed  the  way  leading  onward  to  the  end.  An- 
other blow  was  soon,  alas  !  to  fall  upon  the  stricken 
mourner.  His  son  Samuel,  a  young  man  of  bril- 
liant intellect,  after  graduating  with  the  highest 
honours  of  his  class,  entered  the  Theological  Sem- 
inary in  New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey,  and  hoped 
at  the  end  of  his  course  to  join  his  father  and 
brothers  in  India.  In  a  letter  to  a  friend  an- 
nouncing his  decision  to  go  out  to  India  as  a 
missionary,  he  said,  *'  I  hear  the  voices  of  my 
father  and  my  brothers  calling  me  from  my  native 
land,  *  Come  over  and  help  us  '  and  I  must  hasten 
to  obey."  He  was  stricken  with  mortal  sickness 
and  was  called  home  three  days  before  his  mother 
passed  into  the  skies. 

On  a  heart  so  sensitive  as  was  Dr.  Scudder's, 
these  terrible  blows  fell  with  almost  crushing 
power.  But  though  from  this  time  his  physical 
strength  steadily  waned,  his  zeal  for  souls  was 
unquenched,  and  each  new  morning  found  him 
ready  to  do  battle  against  the  great  enemy  of 
souls.  Unable  because  of  physical  infirmity  to 
make  tours  in  the  interior,  he  usually  preached 
twice  daily  in  the  city  of  Madras.  When  he 
learned  that  his  son  Samuel,  to  whose  return  he 
had  looked  forward  with  delightful  anticipations, 
had  been  called  to  his  heavenly  home,  he  resolved 
to  help  in  making  up  this  loss  on  the  mission 


John  Scudder  187 

field  by  extra  work  on  his  own  part;  and  he  ac- 
cordingly began  to  preach  thrice  daily.  But  he 
was  not  long  able  to  endure  his  excessive  labours. 
As  the  conviction  was  forced  upon  him  that  he 
must  soon  be  laid  aside,  his  heart  was  filled  with 
rejoicing  that  all  his  sons  had  decided  not  only 
to  give  themselves  to  the  Gospel  ministry,  but 
to  return  to  their  native  land  as  missionaries. 
"  They  have  been  prayed  into  the  Kingdom  by 
their  mother,"  said  Dr.  Scudder  on  one  occasion. 

Feeling  that  rest  and  change  might  prolong 
the  precious  life,  the  friends  of  the  veteran  mis- 
sionary urged  him  to  take  a  sea-voyage.  "  1 
wish  to  die  in  India  and  to  be  laid  by  the  side 
of  my  beloved  wife,"  was  his  invariable  answer 
to  these  appeals.  He  would  not  go  again  to 
America,  but  in  the  summer  of  1854  he  was  pre- 
vailed upon  to  try  the  effect  of  a  voyage  to  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope.  His  son  Joseph,  who  had 
joined  his  father  and  brothers  in  missionary  work 
in  India,  accompanied  him. 

From  the  beginning  of  his  Christian  life  Dr. 
Scudder  had  been  a  diligent  student  of  the  Bible. 
This  Holy  Book  had  been  his  guide,  his  counsel- 
lor, his  staff  on  which  he  leaned,  and  more  to 
him  than  his  daily  food.  His  zeal  was  caught 
from  the  Bible,  and  this  too  was  the  source  of 
steadfast  cheerfulness  which  was  so  marked  a 
trait  of  his  character.  iWith  his  mind  stayed  on 
the  promises  of  God,  he  was  never  cast  down. 
When  asked  in  America  what  were  the  discour- 


1 88    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

agements  in  the  missionary  work,  he  answered, 
"  I  do  not  know  the  word.  I  long  ago  erased  it 
_from  my  vocabulary." 

The  quiet  days  of  this  voyage  to  the  Cape  fur- 
nished a  delightful  opportunity  for  digging  deep 
into  the  inexhaustible  mine  of  Scripture ;  and 
when  the  "  desired  haven  "  was  reached  Dr.  Scud- 
der  was  not  only  greatly  refreshed  in  body,  but 
his  mind  and  heart  seemed  strong  to  labour.  With 
the  zeal  which  had  characterised  his  more  vigour- 
ous  days,  he  began  at  once  a  service  in  English 
for  the  residents ;  and  not  for  adults  only  but  for 
the  children  also.  Crowds  flocked  to  hear  the 
eloquent  preacher.  Two  and  sometimes  three 
services  were  held  on  the  Sabbath.  The  soul  of 
the  veteran  warrior  seemed  on  fire,  and  he  re- 
joiced that  the  Lord  was  once  more  using  him 
in  so  blessed  a  service. 

After  two  months  spent  at  the  Cape,  feeling 
that  he  was  ready  for  duty  in  India,  he  engaged' 
his  return  passage,  but  his  earthly  voyages  were 
over.  A  church  service  had  been  announced  for 
him,  and  in  order  that  he  might  be  the  better 
fitted  for  his  duties,  he  laid  himself  down  for  a 
brief  rest.  Soon  he  fell  into  a  deep  sleep.  From 
that  sleep  he  passed  into  the  presence  of  his 
Maker.  Thus  ended  a  life  which  had  been  un- 
reservedly consecrated  to  the  Master's  service. 
He  passed  away  on  the  13th  of  January,  1855,  in 
the  sixty-second  year  of  his  age,  and  the  thirty- 
sixth  year  of  his  missionary  life. 


John  Scudder  1S9 

After  the  death  of  the  veteran  missionary  the 
young  people  and  children  in  America  who  had 
listened  to  his  fervid  appeals,  in  grateful  remem- 
brance of  his  labours  among  them,  contributed 
the  means  for  the  erection  of  the  beautiful  marble 
monument  which  stands  in  the  grounds  of  the 
Theological  Seminary  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  in  New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey. 

We  cannot  more  appropriately  close  this  sketch 
of  the  life  of  a  good  and  a  great  man  than  by  quot- 
ing the  words  of  his  son  the  Rev.  Henry  Martyn 
Scudder,  D.D.,  now  himself  passed  into  the  skies ; 
*'  He  is  gone,  but  he  will  never  be  forgotten.  On 
the  records  of  our  Indian  Zion  his  name  stands 
registered  as  a  faithful  evangelist,  an  energetic 
pioneer.  In  the  sky  of  India's  night  I  see  his 
name  shining  forth  like  a  lustrous  star,  not  lone 
and  solitary,  but  associated  with  kindred  lumin- 
aries, such  as  Ziegenbalg,  Schwartz,  Rhenius  and 
Poor.  He  has  left  behind  him  a  memory  more 
precious  than  thousands  of  gold  and  silver.  He 
was  a  great  man  and  a  good  man.  May  our 
gracious  Lord  raise  up  many  like  him  in  faith 
and  zeal  and  labours  until  every  stronghold  of 
Satan  in  this  land  shall  be  laid  low  in  the  dust 
and  the  temple  of  Emmanuel  shall  be  erected  in 
such  spacious  proportions  and  attractive  glory 
that  the  tribes  of  India  shall  be  gathered  as  de- 
vout and  happy  worshippers  within  its  solemn 
aisles." 


VIII 

JOHN  WILSON 

1829-1875 

In  a  farm-house  in  Lauder,  Berwickshire, 
Scotland,  on  the  nth  of  December,  1804,  was 
born  to  Andrew  and  Janet  Wilson  a  son,  who 
as  soon  as  his  infant  feet  could  carry  him  stepped 
out  from  the  sphere  of  life  into  which  he  was 
born.  He  was  the  eldest  of  four  sons  and  though 
his  associations  were  all  connected  with  rural 
life,  yet  he  very  early  developed  a  bent  of  mind 
opposed  to  all  his  ancestral  traditions.  At  four 
years  of  age  he  was  sent  to  school,  and  at  five 
his  progress  in  knowledge  was  regarded  as  re- 
markable. He  was  from  the  first  a  diligent  stu- 
dent, was  never  in  a  quarrel,  and  was  noted  for 
his  absolute  truthfulness. 

In  his  fourteenth  year  the  precocious  boy  en- 
tered the  Edinburgh  University  and  began  a 
course  of  linguistic,  philosophical  and  theological 
training.  At  the  close  of  the  first  session  he 
found  employment  as  a  teacher,  thus  not  only 
earning  the  means  with  which  to  help  in  providing 
190 


John  Wilson  191 

the  education  which  he  was  determined  to  secure, 
but  laying  the  foundation  for  that  educational 
experience  which  fitted  him  for  the  place  he  was 
afterwards  to  occupy  as  vernacular  missionary. 
Principal  of  an  English  College  and  Vice-Chan- 
cellor  of  the  University  of  Bombay. 

At  the  end  of  the  second  session  at  the  Uni- 
versity, the  young  student  entered  into  an  en- 
gagement as  tutor  to  the  sons  and  nephews  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Cormack  of  Stow.  To  his  residence 
of  four  years  as  tutor,  in  the  family  of  Dr.  Cor- 
mack may  be  traced  the  determination  early 
formed  by  Mr.  Wilson  of  devoting  his  life  to  the 
peoples  of  India. 

The  nephews  of  Dr.  Cormack,  resident  at  this 
time  in  his  household,  were  the  sons  of  Colonel 
Rose,  an  officer  on  duty  in  India,  who  had  sent 
his  children  to  the  home  land  to  be  educated. 
When  he  began  his  duties  in  the  manse  at  Stow 
at  the  age  of  sixteen,  one  of  the  first  surprises 
of  the  young  tutor  was  caused  by  hearing  the 
Hindustani  spoken  by  the  children  from  India. 
From  this  time  he  was  more  or  less  in  an  Indian 
atmosphere. 

From  General  Walker,  a  retired  officer  living 
near  Stow,  Mr.  Wilson  caught  the  inspiration 
which  in  later  years  enabled  him  to  labour  so 
effectively  in  the  suppression  of  female  infanti- 
cide, as  this  officer  while  in  India  had  been  in 
political  charge  of  the  great  native  State  of  Ba- 
roda,  and  had  been  distinguished  for  the  active 


192    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

part  he  had  taken  in  the  suppression  of  female 
infanticide  among  the  Jadeja  Rajpoots. 

On  his  twenty-first  birthday  Mr.  Wilson  wrote, 
"  This  day  I  have  completed  my  twentieth  year. 
The  Lord  teach  me  to  improve  the  fleeting  mo- 
ments of  my  existence.  The  Memoirs  of  David 
Brainerd  and  Henry  Martyn  give  me  peculiar 
pleasure." 

Two  months  later  when  paying  a  visit  to  his 
friends  at  Lauder,  he  made  known  to  them  his 
purpose  of  offering  himself  as  a  missionary  can- 
didate to  the  Scottish  Missionary  Society,  and 
was  much  grieved  to  find  that  his  mother  felt  she 
could  not  bear  the  separation  which  the  choice 
of  such  a  life  would  involve.  His  father  said 
little,  but  to  him  also  the  announcement  of  his 
son's  decision  came  as  a  heavy  stroke.  Mr.  Wil- 
son comforted  his  parents  by  assuring  them  that 
he  would  not  leave  them  unless  the  Lord  should 
make  the  path  of  duty  very  plain. 

Not  long  after  this  interview  with  his  parents, 
Mr.  Wilson  being  fully  persuaded  that  he  was 
following  the  leadings  of  the  Master,  offered  him- 
self to  the  Scottish  Missionary  Society  and  was 
accepted.  He  was  then  received  into  the  family 
of  the  Secretary  of  the  society,  the  Rev.  W. 
Brown,  M.D.,  where  he  spent  the  three  succeed- 
ing years  before  his  departure  for  India. 

Himself  full  of  zeal  in  respect  to  the  cause  of 
missions,  Mr.  Wilson  sought  to  inspire  others 
with  this  spirit.    He  was  the  chief  agent  in  found- 


John  Wilson  193 

ing  the  Edinburgh  Association  of  Theological 
Students  in  aid  of  the  Diffusion  of  Christian 
Knowledge.  Of  this  society  he  was  made  the 
Secretary.  He  collected  a  library  and  began  a 
correspondence  with  the  great  missionary  societies 
then  in  existence,  in  order  that  the  students  might 
have  the  latest  missionary  intelligence. 

When  in  the  university,  Mr.  Wilson  had  taken 
a  high  place  in  the  classes  of  physical  and  natural 
science,  and  in  order  that  he  might  be  more  use- 
ful in  the  mission  field,  he  passed  through  classes 
of  anatomy,  surgery  and  the  practice  of  physic. 

The  summer  of  1828  was  a  memorable  one  to 
the  missionary-elect,  for  on  the  24th  of  June  he 
was  ordained  to  the  office  of  the  Gospel  min- 
istry, and  on  the  i8th  of  August  was  married 
to  Miss  Margaret  Bayne  of  Greenock,  a  daughter 
of  the  manse,  a  lady  not  only  highly  accomplished 
and  of  rare  intellectual  attainments,  but  with  a 
zeal  for  souls  equal  to  his  own. 

On  the  30th  of  August  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson 
began  the  long  voyage  to  India.  Cape  Comorin, 
the  Land's  End  of  India,  was  sighted  on  the  first 
of  the  following  February,  and  Bombay  was 
reached  on  the  14th.  This  great  Western  sea- 
port at  that  time  contained  only  250,000  inhabi- 
tants, but  before  the  death  of  the  distinguished 
missionary,  its  population  had  increased  to 
650,000. 

Soon  after  his  arrival,  in  a  letter  to  his  parents 
Mr.  Wilson  said,  "  Figure  to  yourselves  a  clear 


194    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

sky,  a  burning  sun,  a  parched  soil,  gigantic 
shrubs,  numerous  palm  trees,  a  populous  city  with 
inhabitants  belonging  to  every  country  under 
heaven,  crowded,  dirty  streets,  thousands  of 
Hindus,  Mohammedans,  Parsis,  Buddhists,  Jews 
and  Portuguese;  perpetual  marriage  processions, 
barbarous  music,  etc.  etc. ;  and  you  will  have  some 
idea  of  what  I  observe  at  present." 

Before  the  end  of  a  month  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wil- 
son left  Bombay  for  a  rural  town,  that  they  might 
in  the  midst  of  the  people  lay  the  foundation  for 
a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Marathi,  the  lan- 
guage of  Western  India.  Mr.  Wilson  made  com- 
mendable progress,  preaching  to  edification  in  the 
vernacular  seven  months  after  his  arrival. 

The  Jewish  population  of  Bombay  had  from 
the  first  a  peculiar  interest  for  the  young  mis- 
sionary, and  though  he  brought  with  him  to  India 
a  knowledge  of  Hebrew  superior  to  that  of  the 
ordinary  student,  to  the  study  of  the  Indian  ver- 
naculars he  soon  began  to  add  an  hour's  daily 
study  of  the  Hebrew,  in  order  that  by  greater 
familiarity  with  this  language  he  might  be  more 
useful  to  the  Jewish  population. 

From  the  first,  as  a  missionary,  Mr.  Wilson 
had  claimed  for  himself  independence  of  judg- 
ment and  of  action,  and  at  the  end  of  the  first 
year  we  find  him  drawing  up  a  "  plan  of  opera- 
tions which  I  intend  to  pursue  in  the  island  of 
Bombay,"  accompanying  it  with  detailed  regula- 
tions for  the  pupil  teachers,  the  masters  and  the 


John  Wilson  195 

Christian  inspectors  of  the  schools  which  had  been 
established.  He  had  at  this  time  a  weekly  serv- 
ice with  the  Beni-lsrael.  He  preached  in  the 
Marathi  language,  and  occasionally  in  English  in 
the  Scotch  Church  in  Bombay.  As  soon  as  able 
to  speak  with  some  degree  of  fluency  he  began  a 
service  for  beggars.  A  small  portion  of  rice  was 
given  to  each,  and  the  Word  of  God  was  pro- 
claimed. 

In  March,  1832,  the  school  which  eventually 
became  the  General  Assembly's  Institution,  was 
established  in  connection  with  the  Scottish  Mis- 
sion. This  school  was  under  his  immediate 
superintendence.  It  might  have  been  said  of  him, 
as  of  Henry  Martyn  at  Cambridge,  that  he  was 
a  man  who  never  lost  an  hour;  and  if  his  power 
of  application  was  marvellous,  no  less  so  were  the 
results  of  his  severe  application.  He  not  only 
rapidly  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  Marathi, 
but  also  of  Gujarati  and  to  these,  he  soon  added 
Hindustani  and  Persian. 

Ere  long  he  began  the  preparation  of  a  Hebrew 
and  Marathi  grammar  for  the  Jews.  As  soon  as 
his  schools,  his  preaching  and  translation  work 
were  well  organised,  the  zealous  missionary  be- 
gan a  series  of  discussions,  in  the  first  instance 
with  leading  Hindus  who  had  asked  for  such  dis- 
cussion, hoping  thereby  to  strengthen  their  cause, 
— then  with  the  Mohammedans,  and  last  with 
representatives  of  the  Parsi  community.  The  dis- 
cussion with  the  Hindus  was  oral  and  with  the 


196    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

two  last  named  classes  through  the  vernacular 
newspapers.  When  Christianity  and  Hinduism 
were  contrasted  great  crowds  assembled  day  after 
day.  Among  the  opponents  and  the  listeners 
were  many  learned  Brahmins,  and  those  were  the 
first  to  ask  for  quarter.  Two  editions  of  the  re- 
port were  quickly  exhausted,  and  a  spirit  of  in- 
quiry was  awakened.  When  his  opponents  felt 
that  they  were  being  worsted  in  the  contest  they 
proposed  asking  Government  to  silence  their 
powerful  antagonist.  One  of  the  results  of  this 
discussion  was  the  preparation  and  publication  by 
Mr.  Wilson  of  his  first  ''  Exposure  of  the  Hindu 
Religion,'*  quickly  followed  by  his  **  Second  Ex- 
posure." After  his  discussion  with  the  Moham- 
medans he  published  a  "  Refutation  of  Mohamme- 
danism." One  of  the  stoutest  of  his  opponents 
during  the  Mohammedan  controversy  afterward 
accepted  Christianity  and  received  baptism  at  the 
hands  of  the  missionary. 

**  The  business  of  the  missionary  is  with'  men," 
was  a  saying  of  Dr.  Chambers,  which  Mr.  Wilson 
was  fond  of  quoting  and  he  made  this  the  key- 
note of  his  missionary  life.  Next  to  making  him- 
self familiar  with  the  vernaculars  of  the  people, 
it  was  his  object  to  mingle  in  a  friendly  way  with 
the  people  who  spoke  them.  He  was  therefore 
found  in  the  market-place,  the  narrow  street,  the 
garden,  the  village  and  on  the  country  roads. 

He  made  his  first  extensive  tour  in  the  cold 
season  of  1831,  going  as  far  as  Nasik,  250  miles 


John  Wilson  197 

from  Bombay.  Wherever  he  went  he  not  only 
preached  the  Gospel,  but  gathered  rich  stores  of 
information,  and  made  collections  of  objects  of 
natural  history,  archeology  and  sometimes  of 
valuable  oriental  manuscripts.  On  this  tour  to 
Nasik  he  met  for  the  first  time  people  belonging 
to  those  aboriginal  tribes  of  the  jungle,  in  whose 
elevation  and  evangelisation  he  was  permitted  to 
bear  so  distinguished  a  part. 

In  1843  he  paid  a  visit  to  Mahabeleshwar,  in 
the  mountains.  This  place  had  been  visited  by 
Gordon  Hall  ten  years  before  with  the  express 
object  of  ascertaining  if  it  would  be  a  suitable 
place  for  a  sanitarium  for  Europeans  on  the 
Western  coast  of  India.  In  1829  a  tract  of  land 
including  this  spot  had  been  ceded  to  the  British 
Government  by  the  Rajah  of  Satara  in  exchange 
for  other  lands.  Some  time  after  Mr.  Wilson's 
first  visit,  one  of  his  friends  in  Bombay  presented 
him  with  a  cottage  in  Mahabeleshwar,  and  there, 
when  more  advanced  in  years  he  used  to  recruit 
his  exhausted  energies  during  the  college  vaca- 
tion in  the  great  heat  of  May  and  June.  But  he 
was  not  idle  even  then.  As  the  place  began  to 
be  frequented  by  native  gentlemen,  he  delivered 
lectures,  preached  in  the  vernaculars,  examined 
schools,  engaged  in  literary  work  and  prosecuted 
his  evangelistic  work  among  the  hill  tribes  as  far 
as  Poona. 

In  the  cold  season  of  1834,  Mr.  Wilson  made 
an  extensive  tour  into    Kathiawar    and    Cutch. 


198    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Now  for  the  first  time  he  came  face  to  face  with 
female  infanticide,  and  he  began  at  once  to  wage 
war  against  the  monstrous  practice.  As  he  jour- 
neyed, the  ever  active  missionary  preached  both 
morning  and  evening  in  the  streets  and  bazaars 
of  the  cities  visited,  as  well  as  to  groups  by  the 
wayside.  He  was  ever  ready  to  receive  visitors, 
and  was  diligent  in  putting  into  circulation  books 
and  tracts  in  the  vernacular. 

On  his  return  to  Bombay  after  an  absence  of 
more  than  three  months,  Mr.  Wilson  found  Mrs. 
Wilson  in  declining  health,  and  on  the  19th  of 
the  following  April  she  passed  away.  Though 
she  had  spent  but  six  years  in  India,  she  left  an 
abiding  impression  for  good,  for  to  her  is  due, 
in  a  large  measure,  the  rapid  spread  of  female 
education  in  Bombay.  Early  in  1836  Mr.  Wilson 
sent  to  Scotland  an  earnest  request  to  the  two 
sisters  of  Mrs.  Wilson,  the  Misses  Anna  and 
Hay  Bayne  to  come  out  to  India  and  take  up 
as  a  sacred  inheritance  the  work  which  Mrs.  Wil- 
son had  laid  down.  The  following  year  the  two 
sisters  arrived  and  without  charge  to  the  mission 
or  society,  began  to  labour  among  the  women  and 
children  of  Bombay. 

In  May,  1836,  the  honourary  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity  was  conferred  upon  Mr.  Wilson,  an 
honour  most  worthily  bestowed. 

The  Parsis  resident  in  Bombay,  at  that  time 
as  now,  though  numerically  a  small  part  of  the 
community,  were  yet  an  influential  body,  noted 


John  Wilson  199 

for  their  intelligence  and  honesty.  The  name 
they  bear  is  given  to  a  remnant  of  the  followers 
of  the  ancient  Persian  religion  as  reformed  by 
Zerdusht,  or  Zoroaster.  The  Zoroastrian  creed 
flourished  at  the  time  of  Alexander  the  Great. 
After  his  death  it  gradually  lost  ground,  and 
rapidly  declined  under  his  successors.  It  was 
afterward  resuscitated  and  flourished  until  651 
A.  D.,  when  the  Persian  army  at  the  great  battle 
of  Nehavend  was  routed  by  the  Calif  Omar. 
Many  of  the  people  preferring  exile  to  a  Hfe  on 
the  ancient  soil  of  their  race,  subject  to  the  end- 
less annoyances  and  exactions  imposed  upon  them 
by  the  conquering  race,  found  a  haven  on  the 
Western  coast  of  India,  chiefly  at  Turat,  Bom- 
bay and  Ahmedabad.  When  Bombay  came  under 
the  dominion  of  the  British,  the  Parsis  were  the 
first  of  all  the  communities  of  Western  India  to 
place  themselves  under  the  protection  of  the  new 
Government.  A  third  of  all  the  Parsis  under 
British  rule  are  found  in  Bombay. 

From  the  first  Dr.  Wilson  had  felt  a  deep  in- 
terest in  the  Parsi  community.  In  183 1,  in  a  letter 
sent  to  Scotland  he  wrote,  *'  I  intend,  God  will- 
ing, to  comply  with  the  wishes  of  my  friends,  by 
preparing  a  work  embracing  an  analysis  of  all 
the  sacred  books  of  the  Parsis,  a  particular  view 
of  their  religious  history,  so  far  as  it  can  be  as- 
certained, and  a  description  of  their  manners  and 
customs."  When  compelled  by  illness  to  return 
to  Scotland  at  the  close  of  1842,  he  left  completed 


200    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

his  greatest  work,  '*  The  Parsi  ReHgion  as  con- 
tained in  the  Zend-Avesta,  and  propounded  and 
defended  by  the  Zoroastrians  of  India  and  Persia, 
unfolded,  Refuted  and  Contrasted  with  Christi- 
anity." 

With  regard  to  the  conversion  of  a  Parsi  to 
Christianity  it  had  been  said,  "  you  cannot  even 
dream  of  such  an  event  because  even  a  Parsi  babe 
crying  in  the  cradle  is  firmly  confident  in  the 
venerable  Zerdusht;"  but  in  1839  three  Parsi 
students  of  the  college  who  had  received  religious 
instruction  from  Dr.  Wilson,  renounced  their  an- 
cestral faith  and  accepted  Christianity.  These 
young  men  belonged  to  the  most  influential  fami- 
lies in  the  Parsi  community,  and  were  among 
the  most  intelligent  students  in  the  college.  Their 
conversion  to  Christianity  created  a  great  panic 
among  the  Parsi  inhabitants,  and  for  a  time  the 
lives  of  the  converts  were  in  danger.  The  num- 
bers in  attendance  at  the  college  greatly  dimin- 
ished and  for  a  long  time  after  this  event  the 
Parsis  continued  to  hold  aloof. 

Near  the  end  of  1838  Dr.  Wilson's  heart  was 
gladdened  by  the  arrival  of  the  Rev.  Murray 
Mitchell  (the  well-known  scholar  and  educator), 
who  was  to  be  his  colleague  in  Bombay. 
Two  years  after  his  arrival  Mr.  Mitchell  ac- 
companied Dr.  Wilson  on  a  tour  into  Rajpu- 
tana.  The  distance  traversed  was  over  1,500 
miles  and  the  missionaries  did  not  return  to  Bom- 
bay until  the  middle  of  June.     This  long,  and 


John  Wilson  aoi 

in  some  respects  trying  tour  bore  fruit  later  in  the 
establishment,  in  this  hitherto  unevangelised  part 
of  India,  of  a  flourishing  mission. 

The  first  of  Dr.  Wilson's  tours  to  pave  the 
way  for  the  opening  of  a  region  of  country  to 
missionary  labour  by  a  missionary  body  other 
than  his  own,  was  his  exploration  of  Gujrat  and 
Kathiawar  in  1835.  The  interest  awakened  by 
this  tour,  in  conjunction  with  the  eloquence  of 
Dr.  Duff,  led  the  three  hundred  Presbyterian 
congregations  of  the  Synod  of  Ulster  to  establish 
a  mission  in  India.  Near  the  close  of  February, 
1 84 1,  two  missionaries  sent  out  by  the  Synod  of 
Ulster  to  begin  work  in  this  new  field  arrived  in 
Bombay.  The  cool  season  was  nearly  over,  but 
Dr.  Wilson  resolved  to  accompany  the  two  breth- 
ren to  their  proposed  field  of  labour.  .  One  of 
these  missionaries  was  soon  cut  down  by  jungle 
fever,  and  Dr.  Wilson  was  also  prostrated  by  the 
same  disease.  On  his  return  to  Bombay  with 
greatly  shattered  health  his  friends  urged  upon 
him  the  duty  of  taking  furlough  to  Scotland  after 
so  long  a  period  of  ceaseless  activity  in  the  ex- 
hausting climate  of  India.  Though  at  this  time 
less  than  forty  years  of  age,  the  work  he  had  ac- 
complished had  made  him  the  most  prominent 
public  man  in  Western  India.  He  had  set  in 
motion  spiritual  forces  whose  influences  could  not 
be  measured.  He  had  grappled  with  Brahmin- 
ism,  Mohammedanism  and  Parsiism,  on  their  own 
ground,  had  prepared  the  means  of  evangelising 


202    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

the  Jews,  and  the  Arabs,  the  Armenians  and  the 
Nestorians  and  other  races  round  the  Arabian 
Sea.  Now,  for  this  man  of  affairs,  rest  was 
imperative. 

He  left  India  on  his  first  furlough,  on  the  20th 
of  January,  1845.  He  had  arranged  on  his  jour- 
ney to  Scotland  to  visit  Egypt,  Syria  and  Eastern 
Europe,  not  merely  for  the  purpose  of  biblical 
research,  but  to  report  to  the  Church  on  the  con- 
dition of  the  Jews,  the  Samaritans  and  the  East- 
ern Christians.  The  expedition  undertaken  and 
planned  by  Dr.  Wilson  and  his  companions  was 
intended  by  his  Church  to  complete  the  inquiry 
inaugurated  a  few  years  before  by  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Keith  and  Black,  Bonar  and  McCheyne. 

London  was  reached  on  the  23rd  of  September, 
and  Edinburgh  on  the  4th  of  November.  For 
more  than  two  months  Dr.  Wilson  had  been  with- 
out tidings  from  the  home  land.  "  Any  news 
about  the  Church  of  Scotland?"  had  been  his 
first  question  to  the  boatman  who  rowed  him 
ashore  at  Dover.  "  They're  all  out,  sir,"  was  the 
reply.  He  had  anticipated  this  separation,  and  in 
July  had  written  to  Scotland  intimating  his  with- 
drawal as  a  minister  and  missionary  of  the  Estab- 
lished Church,  and  his  decision  in  favour  of  the 
Free  Church.  In  this  decision  every  missionary 
of  the  Church  of  Scotland  in  Madras,  Calcutta 
and  Bombay  united. 

The  English  school  which  Dr.  Wilson  had 
established  in  Bombay  had  developed  into  a  col- 


John  Wilson  203 

lege.  The  premises  until  this  time  occupied,  had 
not  only  been  unsuitable,  but  furnished  inade- 
quate accommodation.  Funds  for  a  new  college 
building  had  been  raised,  chiefly  by  friends  in 
India.  The  building  was  ready  for  occupancy 
at  the  time  of  the  Disruption,  but  this  fine  edifice, 
with  its  valuable  library,  mathematical,  astro- 
nomical and  other  apparatus  passed  into  the  hands 
of  the  Established  Church. 

On  his  return  to  his  native  land,  Dr.  Wilson 
was  soon  absorbed  in  preaching  and  in  address- 
ing large  and  deeply  interested  audiences,  his  fre- 
quent theme  being  the  claims  of  India  upon  the 
people  of  Britain.  In  his  tour  through  Egypt 
and  the  Holy  Land,  he  had  taken  copious  notes 
and  while  at  home,  he  devoted  every  hour  which 
he  could  spare  from  the  engagements  which 
pressed  upon  him,  to  the  preparation  of  an 
elaborate  work  to  which  was  given  the  title  of 
*'  The  Lands  of  the  Bible."  The  reputation  which 
he  had  achieved  among  the  learned  men  of  Europe 
by  his  erudite  work  on  the  Parsi  Religion  was 
enhanced  when  his  '*  Lands  of  the  Bible  "  ap- 
peared. 

In  September,  1846,  he  was  married  to  Isa- 
bella, second  d'aughter  of  James  and  Mary  Den- 
niston.  She  proved  not  only  a  devoted  wife,  but 
a  most  efficient  and  self-sacrificing  missionary. 
One  year  after  their  marriage,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Wil- 
son left  Scotland  for  India. 

During  the  absence  of  the  veteran  missionary 


204    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

from  the  country,  the  Province  of  Sindh  had  been 
added  to  the  possessions  of  the  EngHsh  in  India, 
as  the  result  of  the  Afghan  campaign.  Dr.  Wil- 
son had  not  been  long  in  Bombay  before  he 
turned  his  eyes  northward  to  the  new  province, 
in  the  hope  of  taking  possession  of  it  for  Christ. 
A  tour  was  soon  planned  with  Sindh  as  the  ob- 
jective point,  and  to  this  zealous  missionary  was 
given  the  privilege  of  being  the  first  to  deliver  the 
Divine  message  in  the  newly  acquired  province. 
Two  native  converts  accompanied  him,  and  at 
Karachi,  en  route  to  Sindh,  they  were  pleased 
and  encouraged  to  find  converts  and  students 
from  the  Christian  College  of  Dr.  Duff  in  Cal- 
cutta occupying  the  highest  positions  and  influ- 
encing all  around  them  for  good.  The  word 
preached  at  this  time  in  Sindh  bore  fruit  in  the 
conversion  to  Christianity  of  a  young  Beluchi 
who  afterward  received  baptism. 

After  his  return  from  furlough  with  Mrs. 
Wilson,  when  the  college  and  schools  had  been 
reorganised,  Dr.  Wilson,  ably  seconded  by  his 
accomplished  wife,  gave  much  labour  to  the  work 
of  Oriental  research.  For  the  Asiatic  Society 
and  the  Government  he  prepared,  ''  A  Memoir  on 
the  Cave  temples  and  Monasteries  and  other  Bud- 
dhist, Brahminical  and  Jain  remains  in  Western 
India."  This  was  followed  in  1852  by  a  '*  Second 
Memoir,"  recording  new  discoveries. 

Year  by  year,  the  work  of  the  missionary  and 
his  able  colleagues  expanded.   In  1853  the  schools 


John  Wilson  405 

in  connection  with  the  Free  Church  in  Western 
India  embraced  2,159  students.  Not  until  1855, 
twelve  years  after  they  had  buih  the  first  college 
only  to  hand  it  over  to  others  before  occupying 
it,  were  they  able  to  take  possession  of  the  present 
noble  buildings  erected  to  accommodate  eight 
hundred  students.  In  the  work  of  bringing  out 
a  revision  of  the  Gujarati  New  Testament,  Dr. 
Wilson  received  efficient  aid  from  his  two 
scholarly  Parsi  converts,  with  whom  he  felt  it  a 
joy  to  work. 

During  the  year  1853  the  railway  system  was 
introduced  into  India  and  of  this  important  event 
he  wrote,  "It  is  certainly  calculated  to  promote 
the  interests  of  civilisation,  but  its  desecration  of 
the  Sabbath  is  a  sad  drawback." 

*'  The  History  of  the  Suppression  of  Infanti- 
cide in  Western  India  under  the  Government  of 
Bombay,  including  Notices  of  the  Provinces  and 
Tribes  in  which  the  Practice  has  prevailed,"  was 
published  early  in  1855,  and  obtained  a  wide  cir- 
culation. From  the  beginning  of  his  life  as  a  mis- 
sionary. Dr.  Wilson  had  been  confronted  with 
that  foe  not  only  to  Christianity,  but  to  all  prog- 
ress, moral,  social  and  material — caste, — and  he 
had  early  set  himself  to  the  mastery  of  its  origin, 
and  the  secret  of  its  power,  and  an  elaborate 
work  on  this  subject  was  contemplated.  In  1857 
he  put  to  press  the  fi'rst  volume,  but  to  his  regret, 
he  found  that  he  could  not  command  the  leisure 
to  carry  out  his  original  design. 


2o6    Men  of  Might  In  India  Missions 

In  1857  the  political  and  military  unrest  which 
culminated  in  the  mutiny,  swept  over  a  large  part 
of  India,  but  it  left  the  Western  Province  peace- 
able and  loyal.  "  Incipient  mutiny,"  wrote  Dr. 
Wilson  of  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  province, 
at  this  critical  time,  "  was  early  discovered  and 
readily  crushed." 

On  the  1 8th  of  July,  1857,  the  darkest  time  in 
this  sadly  memorable  year,  the  University  of 
Bombay  received  its  charter  and  Dr.  Wilson  was 
appointed  Vice-Chancellor  by  the  Government. 

In  October,  1859,  ^he  Rev.  Messrs.  Schoolbred 
and  Steel,  sent  out  by  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Scotland  for  work  in  Rajputana,  ar- 
rived in  Bombay.  They  had  been  commended  to 
Dr.  Wilson  for  advice  and  help,  and  he  decided 
to  accompany  the  two  brethren  to  their  new  field. 
Mrs.  Wilson  also  accompanied  the  party.  There 
were  no  railroads  in  the  region  to  be  traversed, 
and  the  long  journey  from  Surat  to  Beawar  in 
Rajputana,  a  distance  of  seven  hundred  miles, 
was  made  partly  on  horseback,  and  partly  by  bul- 
lock-cart. Aside  from  its  physical  discomforts, 
the  journey  had  its  sad  and  depressing  experi- 
ences. Mr.  Steel  fell  ill,  and  though  all  was  done 
for  him  that  could  be  done,  the  new  field,  as  in 
not  a  few  other  instances  was  taken  possession  of 
by  a  grave.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson  did  not  leave 
Mr.  Schoolbred  until  mission  work  in  Beawar 
had  been  inaugurated.  By  this  time  the  cool 
season  was  over,  and  during  the  return  journey 


John  Wilson  doy 

the  heat  was  very  trying,  the  mercury  during  the 
day  rising  to  95°  and  even  104°  with  a  high, 
scorching  wind,  blowing  up  the  dust  in  thick 
clouds,  and  '*  making  us  as  black  as  sweeps," 
wrote  Mrs.  Wilson.  Under  such  circumstances 
was  begun  a  mission  which  to-day  is  one  of  the 
most  efficient  in  India. 

In  May,  i860,  Bombay  lost  the  services  of  its 
excellent  Governor,  Lord  Elphinstone.  In  refer- 
ence to  his  relations  with  Dr.  Wilson,  the  Gov- 
ernor said  that  ''  To  no  other  man  was  he  so  in- 
debted personally,  for  public  and  private  services, 
but  he  could  not  prevail  on  him  to  accept  so  much 
as  the  value  of  a  shoe  latchet." 

One  of  Dr.  Wilson's  Indian  friends  who  had 
risen  to  a  position  of  influence,  thus  wrote  of  the 
veteran  missionary :  "  Since  his  arrival  in  India, 
no  less  than  eighteen  Governors  have  ruled  over 
the  Western  Presidency,  but  Dr.  Wilson  did  more 
for  the  Presidency  of  Bombay  in  the  way  of 
educating  the  people,  composing  books  suited  to 
their  wants  in  the  various  languages,  inducing 
them  to  be  loyal  subjects  of  the  British  Crown, 
collecting  ancient  manuscripts  and  histories  of  the 
country,  etc.  etc.,  than  all  the  eighteen  Governors 
together." 

Narain  Sheshadri,  afterward  the  Rev.  Narain 
Sheshadri,  honoured  alike  in  India,  England  and 
America,  was  the  first  educated  Brahmin  baptised 
in  Bombay  and  was  the  direct  fruit  of  the  higher 
Christian   education.     On   the   30th   anniversary 


2oS    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

of  the  landing  of  Dr.  Wilson  in  India,  the  Chris- 
tian community  of  Bombay  presented  him  with 
an  appreciative  address  and  a  copy  of  the  Hexa- 
pla.  The  address  was  signed  in  their  name  by 
the  representative  Parsi  and  Brahmin,  both  then 
ordained  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  the  Rev.  Dhan- 
jeebhoy  Nourajee  and  the  Rev.  Narain  Sheshadri. 
For  the  first  thirty  years  of  his  residence  in 
Bombay,  Dr.  Wilson  had  occupied  a  rented  house 
in  close  proximity  to  the  native  population,  that 
he  might  be  easily  accessible  to  the  people  among 
whom  he  delighted  to  labour.  After  the  meeting 
the  rise  in  prices  led  to  a  large  increase  in  the 
rent  of  the  ''  Ambrolie  "  house ;  and  greatly  to 
his  regret.  Dr.  Wilson  was  forced  to  leave  this 
residence  and  from  this  time  "  The  Cliff "  on 
Malabar  Hill,  the  most  desirable  residence  part 
of  Bombay,  became  his  home.  This  pleasant  cot- 
tage had  been  presented  to  him  several  years  be- 
fore by  one  of  his  devoted  English  friends,  but 
he  had  occupied  it  only  when  the  state  of  his 
health  made  a  change  to  a  region  of  purer  air 
necessary.  To  this  cottage  was  now  added  a  guest 
chamber,  and  open  house  was  kept  at  The  Cliff 
as  at  Ambrolie  for  European  and  Indian  friends. 
After  the  meeting,  Bombay  became  the  port  of 
arrival  and  departure  for  Anglo-Indians,  and  the 
flow  of  guests  through  The  Cliff  steadily  in- 
creased ;  for  the  hospitable  owner  was  in  great 
request,  as  "  guide,  philosopher  and  friend."  Here 


John  Wilson  aop 

in  June,  1864,  came  Dr.  Livingstone,  the  distin- 
guished missionary  and  explorer.  "  No  one  knew   I 
he  was  coming,"  wrote  Miss  Taylor,  Dr.  Wilson's  I 
niece.    "  He  landed  with  no  one  to  meet  him  and  / 
found  his  way  in  a  deluge  of  rain  in  an  old  shi-  I 
gram  to  Dr.  Wilson's."     During  the  last  seven  f 
years  of  Dr.   Livingstone's  Hfe  he  wrote  to  no? 
one  so  frequently  as  to  Dr.  Wilson.  * 

In  September,  1867,  for  the  second  time  the 
shadows  of  heavy  bereavement  fell  across  the  life 
of  the  veteran  missionary.  Isabella  Wilson,  who 
for  twenty  years  had  shared  the  trials  and  the 
triumphs  of  her  distinguished  husband,  was  called 
home.  She  was  missed  not  only  in  the  home 
which  her  presence  had  brightened  and  adorned, 
but  by  all  sections  of  the  community.  Hence- 
forth, to  the  end  of  his  earthly  pilgrimage,  he 
was  cared  for  by  his  niece,  Miss  Taylor. 

In  February,  1869,  the  leaders  of  the  various 
communities  in  Bombay,  European  and  Asiatic, 
made  arrangements  to  celebrate  in  an  appropriate 
manner  the  fortieth  anniversary  of  the  arrival  of 
Dr.  Wilson  in  Bombay.  The  long  roll  included 
the  signatures  in  many  languages  of  the  repre- 
sentatives of  all  ranks,  races  and  creeds.  On  a 
beautiful  silver  salver,  wrought  by  native  artists, 
and  bearing  a  suitable  inscription  in  Sanskrit,  the 
sum  of  i2,iio  was  presented  to  the  man  they 
delighted  to  honour.  He  consented  to  use  the 
interest  of  this  handsome    sum    to    aid    in    his 


aio    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

philanthropic  and  literary  labours,  and  expressed 
his  desire  that  the  principal  should  be  used  to  aid 
the  youth  of  Bombay  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
higher  branches  of  education,  and  in  a  form  which 
would  be  agreeable  alike  to  European  and  native 
friends. 

In  1870  Dr.  Wilson  was  summoned  to  his 
native  land  to  fill  the  highest  office  which  his 
church  could  bestow,  that  of  Moderator  of  the 
General  Assembly.  In  obedience  to  this  call,  the 
veteran  missionary  made  his  second  and  last  visit 
to  Scotland.  During  the  meeting  of  the  Assembly 
when  the  report  on  Foreign  Missions  was  read, 
he  left  the  Moderator's  chair  and  told  the  story 
of  his  life-work  In  words  which  concluded  with 
the  declaration  that  notwithstanding  the  forty 
years  already  spent  in  India,  If  he  lived  to  the 
age  of  Methuselah,  he  should  esteem  it  a  high 
privilege  to  devote  his  fife  to  the  regeneration  of 
the  peoples  of  this  great  Eastern  Empire.  The 
year  spent  In  Scotland  was  a  season  of  constant 
activity.  On  the  4th  of  October,  1871,  he  took 
a  final  leave  of  the  beloved  friends  at  Lauder  and 
once  more  turned  his  face  toward  the  Orient. 
Bombay  was  reached  on  the  9th  of  December. 

*'  Mission  objects  are  pressing  upon  me  the 
more  that  the  enterprise  expands,"  he  wrote  after 
his  return.  But  his  powers  of  endurance  had  be- 
gun to  fall.  Repeated  attacks  of  fever  culminated 
in  the  autumn  of  1875  In  alarming  weakness  of 


John  Wilson  211 

the  heart.  At  a  farewell  meeting  held  by  the  be- 
loved evangelist,  the  late  Dr.  Somervillc  of  Scot- 
land, in  April,  1875,  ^^'  Wilson  appeared  among 
the  non-Christian  natives  of  Bombay  for  the  last 
time.  He  gathered  his  children  in  the  faith  about 
him  for  the  last  time  on  the  i8th  of  the  following 
August,  when  he  opened  the  "  Day-school  for 
Indian  and  other  Asiatic  females  "  which  he  had 
erected  in  memory  of  Isabella  Wilson,  "  from  a 
bequest  by  herself  for  any  one  evangelistic  object 
of  his  choice.'* 

On  the  evening  of  the  first  of  December,  1875, 
the  man  greatly  beloved  entered  into  rest.  When 
he  was  carried  to  his  grave,  his  bier  was  fol- 
lowed by  men  of  all  ranks  and  creeds,  and  from 
the  highest  to  the  lowest,  each  felt  that  he  had 
lost  a  personal  friend. 

Major-General  and  Mrs.  Ballard  were  long  Dr. 
Wilson's  neighbours  on  Malabar  Hill.  Mrs.  Bal- 
lard writes  thus  beautifully  of  a  visit  paid  to  The 
Cliff,  where  the  body  of  the  great  missionary  lay 
before  being  conveyed  to  its  last  resting-place. 

**  I  stole  into  the  silent  bungalow  to  lay  a 
wreath  on  his  coffin.  The  sun  was  rising  over 
the  distant  hills  and  tinging  the  bay  with  gold. 
No  sound  broke  the  stillness  but  the  rustle  of  the 
wind  in  the  dry  palm  leaves  and  the  dash  of  the 
distant  wave,  until  I  entered  the  little  study. 
There  a  voice  of  bitter  weeping  met  my  ear  in 
the  verandah — the  native    Christians    sorrowing 


212    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

most  of  all  that  they  should  see  his  face  no  more. 
'  We  are  so  glad,'  said  a  native  Christian  once 
to  me,  '  that  Dr.  Wilson  will  never  go  home. 
You  all  go  and  leave  us ;  we  know  you  are  always 
looking  longingly  to  England;  but  Dr.  Wilson 
will  never  go  home.'  Ah !  he  had  gone  home 
now." 


IX 

ALEXANDER  DUFF 
1830- 1863 

Sometime  during  the  year  1796,  the  Rev. 
Charles  Simeon,  the  eminent  evangeHcal  preacher 
of  Cambridge,  made  his  first  tour  through  Scot- 
land. At  Dunkeld  his  horses  were  at  the  door 
to  take  him  to  the  Pass  of  Killiecrankie.  From 
thence  he  intended  to  turn  back  and  hurry  on  to 
Glasgow,  but  feeling  "  poorly  "  the  horses  were 
sent  back  and  the  excursion  was  made  on  the  fol- 
lowing day.  At  Moulin,  a  village  four  miles 
from  the  Pass,  Mr.  Simeon  made  a  call  on  the 
parish  minister,  a  Mr.  Stewart,  who  said  to  his 
visitor  during  the  interview,  "  why  not  return  to 
the  manse  on  Saturday  evening,  spend  the  Sab- 
bath and  assist  in  the  services  " ;  to  which  pro- 
posal Mr.  Simeon  gave  ready  assent.  Suffering 
somewhat  from  physical  indisposition,  he  preached 
what,  at  the  time,  he  regarded  as  a  barren  and 
dull  sermon ;  but  God  abundantly  blessed  the  mes- 
sage. 

Among  the  listeners  in  the  rural  congregation 
on  that  day,  were  James  Duff  and  Jean  Rattray, 
213 


214    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

both  under  seventeen  years  of  age.  The  truth 
reached  their  hearts  and  that  day  was  to  both 
of  them  the  beginning  of  a  new  Hfe.  Mr.  Stewart 
too  was  deeply  impressed  and  from  that  time  he 
preached  a  new  Gospel,  or  the  old  Gospel  with 
new  power.  In  due  time  James  Duff  married 
Jean  Rattray  and  took  her  to  the  farm  of  Auch- 
nahyle.  There  Alexander  Duff  was  born  on  the 
25th  of  April,  1806.  Later  on,  the  family  re- 
moved to  a  home  nearer  Moulin,  and  in  a  pic- 
turesque cottage  on  the  estate  of  Balnakeilly  the 
boy's  childhood  and  early  youth  were  sj)ent. 

The  father  of  Alexander  was  truly  a  man  of 
God.  In  prayer  he  was  mighty,  and  his  zeal  for 
souls  was  unresting.  '*  His  Catholic  spirit  re- 
joiced in  tracing  the  triumphs  of  the  Gospel  in 
different  lands  and  in  connection  with  the  differ- 
ent branches  of  the  Christian  Church." 

At  the  age  of  eight  Alexander  was  sent  from 
home  that  he  might  have  such  educational  advan- 
tages as  could  not  be  secured  in  the  locality  in 
which  he  lived.  He  made  rapid  progress  and 
after  three  years  was  placed  in  a  more  advanced 
school.  His  14th  year  was  spent  in  Perth  Gram- 
mar School  which  he  left  a  year  later,  the  dux 
of  the  school.  When  he  entered  the  University 
of  St.  Andrew's,  his  father  presented  him  with 
i20,  and  no  further  aid  was  received  to  the  close 
of  his  university  career.  In  the  spring  of  1823 
Dr.  Chalmers  was  elected  to  the  chair  of  Moral 
Philosophy  in  St.  Andrew's  and  Alexander  Duff 


Alexander  Duff  215 

was  one  of  the  students  who  sat  at  the  feet  of 
this  distinguished  professor. 

There  had  followed  Duff  to  St.  Andrew's  a 
school-fellow  from  Perth,  John  Urquhart.  The 
two  were  of  like  spirit  and  shared  the  same  lodg- 
ings. Urquhart  had  made  the  acquaintance  of 
the  great  missionary,  Dr.  Morrison  of  China, 
One  day,  on  his  return  from  London,  wherie  he^ 
had  gone  to  pay  a  visit  to  this  missionary,  he 
startled  his  companions  by  announcing  that  he 
had  resolved  to  devote  his  Hfe  to  missionary 
work  abroad.  His  friend  Duff  was  profoundly 
impressed  by  this  announcement.  As  from  time 
to  time  he  returned  to  his  home  in  the  Grampians, 
young  Duff  was  wont  to  rehearse  to  his  parents 
his  university  experiences  and  in  these  John  Ur- 
quhart was  always  intimately  associated.  Coming 
home  at  the  end  of  the  session  in  the  year  1827, 
his  parents  noted  with  surprise  that  no  mention 
was  made  of  his  loved  companion. 

"  But  what  of  your  friend  Urquhart?  "  at  last 
exclaimed  his  father. 

"  Urquhart  is  no  more,"  was  the  answer  given 
with  great  effort  at  self-control :  then  after  a  mo- 
ment of  impressive  silence,  he  said,  "  What  if  your 
son  should  take  up  his  cloak?  You  approved  the 
motive  that  directed  the  choice  of  Urquhart, — 
you  commended  his  high  purpose, — the  cloak  is 
taken  up."  Thus  did  he  make  known  to  his  par- 
ents his  decision  to  be  a  missionary. 

In  the  spring  of  1829,  Mr.  Duff  was  licensed  to 


2i6    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

preach  the  Gospel  by  the  Presbytery  of  St.  An- 
drews, and  soon  after  he  was  asked  to  go  out  to 
Calcutta  as  a  missionary  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  Church  of  Scotland.  He  received  ordina- 
tion on  the  1 2th  of  August  in  St.  George's;  Dr. 
Chalmers  taking  a  leading  part  in  the  impressive 
services.  The  occasion  was  peculiarly  interest- 
ing from  the  circumstance  that  immediately  pre- 
ceding the  ordination,  Dr.  Chalmers  united  the 
young  candidate  in  marriage  to  Anne  Scott  Drys- 
dale. 

Two  months  after  his  ordination  and  marriage, 
Mr.  Duff  with  his  wife  left  London  for  Ports- 
mouth, where  they  embarked  on  the  "  Lady  Hol- 
land "  for  India.  When  the  island  of  Madeira  was 
reached  early  in  November,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Duff 
went  on  shore,  as  it  was  expected  that  the  ship 
would  remain  a  week  in  port.  Westerly  gales 
sprang  up  and  the  "  Lady  Holland  "  with  many 
other  vessels  was  driven  out  to  sea  and  she  did 
not  leave  Madeira  until  the  3rd  of  December.  The 
captain  had  arranged  to  call  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  and  as  the  ship  neared  the  coast  there  was 
much  excitement  on  board  because  of  the  antici- 
pated break  in  the  long  and  tempestuous  voyage, 
but  at  ten  o'clock  on  the  night  of  the  13th  of 
February  the  ship  struck  on  a  reef  over  which 
the  waves  broke  with  great  violence,  and  at  once 
her  back  was  broken.  After  midnight  the  wind 
began  to  abate  and  at  daylight  a  landing  was  ef- 
fected, not  a  life  being  lost.    The  island  on  which 


Alexander  DufF  a  17 

the  shipwrecked  party  had  been  cast  was  unin- 
habited, but  the  myriads  of  penguins  found  there 
had  attracted  two  Dutchmen  from.  Cape  Town 
who  were  at  this  time  engaged  in  collecting  the 
eggs  of  these  birds. 

Not  long  after  the  landing  of  the  rescued  party, 
a  sailor  walking  along  the  beach,  noticed  a  small 
object  which  had  been  cast  ashore.  This  proved 
to  be  a  copy  of  a  Bagster's  Bible  and  a  Scotch 
psalm-book.  Mr.  Duff's  name  was  written  in 
both  the  books  which  were  carefully  wrapped  in 
chamois  skin,  and  the  sailor  carried  them  at  once 
to  the  owner.  These  two  volumes  were  the  only 
things  saved  from  the  wreck.  Led  by  Mr.  Duff, 
the  pasengers  reverently  knelt  while  he  poured 
out  his  heart  in  a  prayer  of  thanksgiving  that  not 
only  had  the  lives  of  all  been  preserved,  but  that 
God's  own  precious  word  had  been  returned  to 
them  by  the  sea. 

Dassen  Island,  on  whose  inhospitable  shores 
they  had  been  cast,  was  only  ten  miles  from  the 
mainland  of  Africa,  and  forty  miles  N.  N.  W.  of 
Cape  Town.  The  Dutchmen's  skiff  was  placed 
at  their  disposal  in  which  to  cross  the  strait,  the 
ship's  surgeon  setting  out  alone.  Four  days  after 
his  departure  the  whole  party  was  rescued  by  a 
brig  of  war  sent  by  the  Governor  for  the  purpose. 
They  were  most  hospitably  received  on  their  ar- 
rival at  Cape  Town,  where  they  were  sometime 
detained.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Duff  secured  passage  in 
the  ''  Moira,"  the  last  ship  of  the  season.     For 


\ 


21 8    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

several  weeks  strong  westerly  winds  were  en^ 
countered,  culminating  at  length  in  a  hurricane 
in  which  the  vessel  barely  escaped  foundering. 
It  was  near  the  end  of  May  before  the  sorely-r 
tried  voyagers  approached  the  shores  of  India. 
The  vessel  had  just  been  brought  to  her  moorings 
off  Saugor  Island,  when  a  cyclone  burst  upon 
them,  and  in  spite  of  three  anchors  thrown  out, 
the  "  Moira "  was  lifted  by  the  wind  and  the 
storm-wave  and  cast  on  the  shore.  The  passen- 
gers were  landed  up  to  the  waist  in  water.  None 
of  the  villagers  would  receive  them  and  they  were 
compelled  to  seek  refuge  in  a  temple,  where  they 
remained  for  twenty-four  hours  before  boats  ar- 
rived to  convey  them  to  Calcutta,  which  place 
they  reached  on  the  27th  of  May. 

When  the  Calcutta  papers  rehearsed  the  story 
of  these  repeated  shipwrecks  some  of  the  natives 
said,  "  Surely  this  man  is'  a  favourite  of  the  gods 
who  must  have  some  notable  work  for  him  to  do 
in  India." 

The  letters  of  introduction  with  which  friends 
had  provided  Mr.  Duff,  and  which  he  had  pre- 
served on  his  person  through  two  shipwrecks,  he 
presented  soon  after  his  arrival.  He  was  at  this 
time  twenty-four  years  of  age,  of  commanding 
presence  and  the  very  personification  of  boundless 
energy.  When  the  young  missionary  accepted  his 
commission  to  go  out  to  India,  he  expressly  stipu- 
lated that  he  was  not  to  be  hampered  by  condi- 
tions.   He  was  therefore  sent  out  with  the  single 


Alexander  DufF  219 

instruction  that  the  Institution  which  the  Society 
proposed  to  found  and  place  under  his  care,  was 
not  to  be  established  in  Calcutta.  After  an  ex- 
amination of  the  schools  already  established,  in- 
cluding the  College  at  Serampore,  and  Bishop 
Middleton's  College,  far  down  the  right  bank  of 
the  Hugh,  Mr.  Duff  was  convinced  that  if  he 
would  lay  wise  foundations  for  the  work  upon 
which  he  was  about  to  enter,  he  must  begin  his 
career  by  disregarding  the  one  injunction  he  had 
received.  In  reference  to  his  decision  that  Cal- 
cutta must  be  the  scene  of  his  principal  efforts, 
and  that  the  English  language  must  be  the  me- 
dium through  which  all  higher  instructions  should 
be  conveyed,  he  found  one  only  who  sympathised 
with  his  views.  This  was  the  aged  Carey,  then 
nearing  the  close  of  his  unique  career.  Mr.  Duff 
reached  Serampore  and  Dr.  Carey's  study  one 
sweltering  July  day.  When  his  visitor  was  an- 
nounced the  venerable  missionary  tottered  up  to 
him  with  outstretched  hands  and  solemnly  blessed 
him ;  and  he  left  the  presence  of  Dr.  Carey  carry- 
ing with  him  his  warm  approval  of  his  proposed 
scheme  for  a  College,  both  as  to  location  and  the 
manner  in  which  he  designed  to  conduct  it. 

There  was  then  living  in  Calcutta,  Rajah 
Rammohun  Roy,  a  man  of  great  influence.  The 
study  of  the  English  language  had  introduced  him 
to  the  English  Bible,  and  in  order  the  more  fully 
to  understand  the  Christian  Veda,  he  began  the 
study  of  both  Hebrew  and  Greek.    Mr.  Duff  was 


220    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

advised  by  one  of  the  gentlemen  to  whom  he  had 
brought  letters  of  introduction,  to  make  the  ac- 
quaintance of  the  Rajah,  feeling  assured  that  he 
would  take  the  deepest  interest  in  his  educational 
schemes.  After  having  listened  to  Mr.  Duff's 
statement  of  his  objects  and  plans,  Rammohun 
expressed  approval.  '*  The  Bible  as  a  book  of 
religious  and  moral  instruction  stands  un- 
equalled," said  the  Rajah ;  and  added,  that  ''  hav- 
ing studied  the  Vedas,  the  Koran  and  the  Tripita- 
kas  of  the  Buddhists,  he  nowhere  found  a  prayer 
so  brief  and  all-comprehensive  as  that  which  the 
Christians  called  the  Lord's  Prayer."  The  advice 
and  sympathy  of  so  intelligent  a  native  greatly 
cheered  the  young  missionary,  and  he  at  once 
made  an  effort  to  secure  a  suitable  hall  in  a  central 
location  for  his  proposed  enterprise.  His  new 
friend  helped  in  obtaining  what  was  desired,  and 
also  used  his  influence  in  securing  pupils.  The 
school  was  formally  opened  on  the  13th  of  July, 
1830,  Rammohun  Roy  being  present.  Mr.  Duif, 
who  had  begun  the  study  of  the  language  soon 
after  his  arrival,  and  had  made  commendable 
progress,  repeated  the  Lord's  Prayer  in  Bengal*. 
He  then  put  into  the  hands  of  each  pupil  who 
could  read,  a  copy  of  the  Gospels.  One  of  the 
number,  a  leader  among  his  fellows,  said,  **  This 
is  the  Christian  Master.  We  are  not  Christians. 
How  then  can  we  read  it?"  "Christians  have 
read  the  Hindu  Shasters,"  said  Rammohun  Roy, 
stepping  forward,  "  And  have  not  become  Hindus. 


Alexander  DufF  221 

I  have  read  the  Koran  again  and  again  and  that 
has  not  made  me  a  Mohammedan.  I  have  studied 
the  whole  Bible,  and  you  know  that  I  am  not  a 
Christian.  Read  the  book  and  judge  for  your- 
selves." 

Daily  for  nearly  a  month  did  the  Hindu  re- 
former continue  to  visit  the  school  for  the  morn- 
ing Bible  lesson,  and  frequently  thereafter  until 
he  left  for  England,  after  which  his  eldest  son 
continued  for  some  time  to  visit  the  school,  thus 
encouraging  both  the  teacher  and  his  pupils. 

Mr.  Duff  had  passed  out  of  St.  Andrews'  Uni- 
versity as  its  first  scholar  and  most  brilliant  es- 
sayist, but  now  with  the  assistance  of  only  an  un- 
trained Eurasian  lad,  this  man  of  splendid  mental 
gifts  spent  willingly,  six  hours  daily  in  teaching 
Bengali  youths  the  English  alphabet;  and  when 
the  duties  of  the  day  were  over,  he  often  worked 
far  into  the  night  in  the  preparation  of  a  series  of 
graduated  school-books.  The  school  soon  be- 
came so  popular  that  increased  accommodation 
was  found  to  be  absolutely  essential.  It  w'as  at 
length  announced  that  none  would  be  permitted 
to  learn  English  who  did  not  read  with  ease  their 
own  vernacular.  Thus  a  purely  Bengali  depart- 
ment was  created. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  twelve  months  a  public 
examination  was  held,  and  the  pupils  acquitted 
themselves  most  creditably.  The  favourable  im- 
pression produced  at  this  time  so  influenced  the 
leaders   of   the   native   community,   that    in   the 


Q.22    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

second  year  hundreds  were  refused  admittance 
for  lack  of  accommodation.  Mr.  DufT  was  at  this 
time  asked  by  an  influential  family  to  open  a  simi- 
lar school  in  a  town  forty  miles  from  Calcutta. 
This  was  done,  and  a  vigourous  mission  school 
was  established  outside  the  capital.  An  hour  a  day 
was  devoted  to  Bible  study,  and  still  the  Institu- 
tion in  Calcutta  grew  in  popularity,  for  not  a  few 
had  learned  to  recognise  in  the  teaching  of  the 
Sacred  Scriptures  an  up-lifting  influence  which 
their  own  Shasters  did  not  possess.  **  Love  your 
enemies ;  bless  them  that  curse  you.  How  beauti- 
ful !  how  divine !  Surely  those  Scriptures  contain 
the  truth,"  exclaimed  one  of  the  students  one 
morning  during  the  Bible  hour.  As  such  expres- 
sions began  more  frequently  to  be  heard,  the  cry 
was  raised  that  "  Hinduism  was  in  danger,''  and 
one  morning,  out  of  the  three  hundred  students 
enrolled,  only  half  a  dozen  appeared.  Mr.  Duff, 
however,  went  calmly  on  and  ere  long  the  classes 
were  more  crowded  than  ever.  He  then  deter- 
mined to  take  a  step  in  advance.  Having  secured 
the  co-operation  of  three  friends  in  sympathy  with 
the  movement,  he  arranged  for  a  course  of  lec- 
tures to  educated  Bengali  gentlemen  on  the  sub- 
ject of  natural  and  revealed  religion.  A  room  in 
his  own  house  was  fitted  up  for  the  lectures,  as 
the  location  was  a  central  one. 

At  the  introductory  lecture  twenty  students,  all 
young  men  of  influence,  were  present.  Next 
morning  the  whole  city  was  in  a  state  of  excite- 


Alexander  Duff  223 

ment,  and  the  college  again  almost  emptied  of 
students.  After  conference  with  some  of  the 
leaders  of  the  community,  interested  in  the  wel- 
fare of  the  college,  it  was  decided,  for  the  present 
to  discontinue  the  lectures.  A  spirit  of  inquiry 
had,  however,  been  aroused,  and  after  a  time,  at 
the  request  of  the  more  influential  among  the  stu- 
dents, the  lectures  were  resumed,  and  some  of 
those  in  attendance,  became  sincere  seekers  after 
truth.  One  such  sent  his  own  brother  to  Mr. 
Duff  with  the  message,  "  If  you  can  make  a 
Christian  of  him,  you  will  have  a  valuable  one." 
The  man  who  thus  commended  his  brother  to 
Mr.  Duff,  himself  received  Christian  baptism  not 
long  after.  Krishna  Mohun  Banner] ee,  who  af- 
terward became  the  Rev.  K.  M.  Bannerjee,  LL.D., 
was  the  next  to  declare  himself  on  the  Lord's 
side,  and  he  received  the  ordinance  of  baptism  in 
Mr.  Duff's  house  in  the  presence  of  some  of  his 
Hindu  associates. 

At  the  same  place,  two  months  later,  Gopi  Nath 
Nundi  renounced  Hinduism  and  embraced  Chris- 
tianity. He  afterwards  was  ordained  to  the  Gos- 
pel ministry  in  connection  with  the  American 
Presbyterian  Mission.  He  was  stationed  at  Fa- 
tehpore  during  the  mutiny  of  1857,  and  showed  a 
martyr's  faith  and  courage,  declaring  himself 
ready  to  face  death  rather  than  deny  his  Lord. 

The  fourth  among  the  students  who  openly  re- 
nounced his  ancestral  faith  in  favour  of  Christian- 
ity was  the  youth  whose  heart  had  been  touched 


224    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

by  the  subHme  teaching  of  the  Sermon  on  the 
Mount.  He  belonged  to  a  wealthy  and  influential 
family,  and  his  public  profession  of  faith  in  Christ 
produced  a  profound  impression.  For  these  young 
disciples  and  others  who  wished  to  receive  instruc- 
tion, Mr.  Duff  opened  a  week-day  class  for  the 
study  of  the  Scriptures.  He  erected  a  bamboo 
chapel  for  vernacular  preaching  and  held  an  Eng- 
lish service  every  Sabbath  evening.  He  carried 
on  a  course  of  lectures  largely  attended,  in  which 
Christianity  was  contrasted  with  Hinduism  and 
Mohammedanism. 

Thus  four  years  passed  in  which  the  unresting 
toiler  continued  his  labours  for  the  Master.  Dur- 
ing the  cold  season  of  1833-34,  being  anxious  to 
inspect  a  branch-school  at  Takee,  seventy  miles 
east  of  Calcutta,  he  engaged  a  native  boat,  and 
with  his  family  set  off  on  this  undertaking.  The 
forests  were  clothed  with  a  wealth  of  luxurious 
foliage,  but  the  air  was  charged  with  poisonous 
malaria ;  and  soon  after  his  return  to  Calcutta  he 
was  prostrated  with  jungle  fever.  A  short  sea- 
trip  sufficiently  restored  him  to  enable  him 
once  more  to  engage  in  his  duties,  but  in 
the  following  April  the  fever  again  returned. 
Recovering  from  this  attack  he  paid  a  visit  to 
Takee  to  inspect  the  work  there.  On  his  arrival, 
the  physician,  alarmed  at  his  appearance,  ordered 
his  immediate  return.  Dysentery  followed  fever, 
and   the    four   physicians    in   attendance    unani- 


Alexander  Duff  225 

mously  agreed  that  his  only  hope  of  restoration 
lay  in  an  immediate  return  to  his  native  land. 

His  situation  was  still  critical  when  in  great 
feebleness  he  was  carried  on  shipboard,  but 
though  the  voyage  was  tempestuous  he  soon  began 
to  rally.  The  ship  entered  the  Firth  of  Clyde  on 
Christmas  day.  The  first  personal  friend  on 
whom  Mr.  Duff  called,  was  Dr.  Chalmers,  from 
whom  he  received  an  enthusiastic  welcome. 

One  of  Mr.  Duff's  friends  who  had  watched 
his  career  in  India  with  the  keenest  interest,  in- 
vited him  to  make  an  address  on  behalf  of  Bengal 
Missions,  in  Falkirk.  The  ardent  missionary 
pleaded  so  eloquently  for  the  cause  so  dear  to  his 
own  heart,  that  the  whole  community  was  aroused. 
He  then  addressed  a  drawing-room  audience  at 
Carbrook,  awakening  a  profound  interest  in  his 
subject.  The  Foreign  Missions  Committee  soon 
after  those  meetings  communicated  to  Mr.  Duff 
their  formal  desire  that  he  should  work  entirely 
under  their  direction,  the  more  especially  as  '*  the 
times  were  unsettled ;  "  but  to  this  he  would  not 
consent,  stipulating  that  as  an  ordained  minister 
of  the  Gospel  he  must  be  left  free  to  work  as  the 
Master  might  indicate,  if  he  retained  his  connec- 
tion with  the  Society.  Such  an  issue  had  not  been 
anticipated,  and  the  Committee  wisely  decided  to 
leave  their  "  agent  "  untrammelled  by  official  in- 
structions. From  this  time  the  resolute  mission- 
ary was  actively  engaged  in  presenting  the  cause 


226    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

of  missions,  and  under  the  magic  of  his  burning 
eloquence,  his  auditors  sat  spellbound. 

Early  in  1835,  Mr.  Duff  was  again  prostrated 
by  malarial  fever,  but  as  soon  as  able  to  travel,  in- 
sisted upon  going  up  to  Edinburgh  for  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly.  Monday,  the  25th  of  May,  was 
the  date  assigned  for  the  presentation  of  the  re- 
port of  the  Bengal  Mission.  When  Mr.  Duff 
came  forward  enfeebled  and  emaciated,  many  in 
the  audience  feared  that  he  would  fall  to  the  floor, 
but,  absorbed  in  his  subject,  he  soon  lost  all  sense 
of  physical  weakness  and  poured  out  "  his  elo- 
quent peroration  with  an  almost  superhuman  ef- 
fect, and  subsided  drenched  with  perspiration,  as 
if  he  had  been  dragged  through  the  Atlantic." 
Under  his  burning  words,  many  of  his  audience, 
men  unused  to  weep,  were  bathed  in  tears.  The 
young  missionary  was  in  constant  demand,  almost 
every  parish  sending  in  a  request  for  a  visit  from 
him.  Nor  were  his  services  in  request  only  by  the 
churches  of  his  own  denomination,  but  he  received 
what  at  that  time  had  never  before  been  extended, 
an  invitation  from  the  directors  of  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  to  address  its  annual  meeting 
in  May.  This  meeting  was  held  in  London,  and 
on  the  platform  Mr.  Duff  found  himself  between 
the  Bishops  of  Chester  and  Winchester.  At  the 
conclusion  of  the  address  delivered  on  this  occa- 
sion, the  speaker  sat  down  amid  a  tempest  of  ap- 
plause. 


Alexander  DufF  2(27 

He  received,  at  this  time  an  invitation  to  visit 
the  University  of  Cambridge,  which  he  gladly  ac- 
cepted. One  interesting  feature  connected  with 
this  visit  was  the  meeting  for  the  first  and  last 
time  of  the  aged  Charles  Simeon,  and  the  young 
missionary,  whose  parents  had  been  led  to  Christ 
through  the  words  spoken  by  Mr.  Simeon,  on 
that  memorable  Sabbath  spent  in  Moulin. 

In  the  autumn  of  1835,  Marischal  College, 
Aberdeen,  "  honoured  itself  and  surprised  the 
young  divine,  still  under  thirty,  by  presenting 
him  with  the  diploma  of  Doctor  of  Divinity." 

During  the  two  and  a  half  years  after  his  re- 
turn to  Scotland,  Dr.  Duff,  notwithstanding  fre- 
quent attacks  of  malarial  fever,  visited  and  ad- 
dressed seventy-one  Presbyteries  and  Synods, 
and  hundreds  of  congregations  all  over  Scotland, 
and  at  that  time  "  the  canal  boat,  the  stage-coach 
and  the  post-carriage  were  the  most  rapid  means 
of  conveyance."  The  most  fruitful  result  of  the 
interest  aroused  by  his  burning  words  was  in  lead- 
ing men  to  desire  to  devote  themselves  to  Mission 
work  in  India.  Among  those  whose  hearts  were 
thus  enlisted,  though  he  was  not  permitted  to  en- 
gage in  this  work,  was  the  saintly  McCheyne. 
After  his  acquaintance  with  Dr.  Duff,  he  wrote  in 
his  journal,  "  I  am  now  made  willing,  should  God 
open  the  way,  to  go  to  India."  In  May,  1837, 
Dr.  Duff  went  to  London  to  take  part  in  the  an- 
niversary of  the  Church  of  Scotland's  Foreign 


aa8    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Missions,  held  in  Exeter  Hall,  and  on  this  occa- 
sion delivered  what  critics  have  pronounced  by 
far  the  most  eloquent  of  all  his  addresses. 

He  was  forbidden  by  his  physicians  to  attend 
the  General  Assembly  of  1838,  and  a  lengthened 
period  of  perfect  rest  was  enjoined.  During  this 
time  of  enforced  inaction,  he  exchanged  his  voice 
for  the  pen.  His  lectures  on  India  and  India  Mis- 
sions, which  he  at  this  time  prepared,  would  be 
ready,  he  rejoiced  to  think,  to  do  this  work  at 
home,  when  he  returned  to  India. 

In  the  autumn  of  1839  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Duff  a 
second  time  set  sail  for  India.  After  an  over- 
land journey  of  much  interest,  early  in  February, 
1846,  the  Suez  steamer,  in  which  they  had  taken 
passage,  entered  the  harbour  of  Bombay,  and  the 
travellers  found  Dr.  John  Wilson  waiting  to  wel- 
come them.  Thus  the  two  great  educational  mis- 
sionaries of  Eastern  and  Western  India  met  for 
the  first  time. 

The  only  communication  at  this  time  between 
Calcutta  and  Bombay  was  by  sailing  vessel  around 
the  Peninsula.  On  this  voyage  between  the  two 
capitals,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Duff  were  the  only  pas- 
sengers. Five  days  were  spent  in  Madras.  The 
Rev.  Messrs.  Anderson  and  Johnson,  fruit  of  his 
address  before  the  General  Assembly  of  1835, 
had  opened  a  school  which  became  later,  the  great 
Christian  College  of  South  India.  With  the  work 
so  auspiciously  begun,  he  was  profoundly  im- 
pressed. 


Alexander  DufF  229 

On  his  arrival  in  Calcutta,  Dr.  Duff  was 
amazed  at  the  evidences  of  progress  on  every  side. 
He  saw  signs  bearing  Hindu  names  as  surgeons 
and  druggists,  where  less  than  six  years  before,  it 
had  been  asserted  that  no  Hindu  could  be  found 
to  study  the  healing  art  through  anatomy.  A 
handsome  Christian  church  had  been  erected  for 
the  Bengali  congregation  and  near  it  was  a  pleas- 
ant manse.  The  pastor  of  the  congregation  was 
the  Rev.  Krishna  Mohun  Bannerjee,  one  of  the 
first  converts  of  the  Scotch  Mission.  A  new  col- 
lege building  had  been  erected  as  well  as  a  mis- 
sion house.  For  this  fine  college  building  Dr. 
Duff  had  been  instrumental  in  raising  the  funds 
while  at  home,  and  he  had  himself  contributed 
toward  this  object  a  handsome  sum  which  had 
been  presented  to  him  as  a  personal  gift  for  his 
family.  The  colleagues  in  charge  of  the  work 
during  the  absence  of  the  founder  of  the  mission, 
had  laboured  with  great  zeal  and  efficiency,  and 
Dr.  Duff  was  rejoiced  to  find  six  or  seven  hun- 
dred students  waiting  to  welcome  him  on  his 
arrival. 

With  his  accustomed  zeal  he  entered  at  once 
upon  the  discharge  of  his  responsible  duties  in 
connection  with  the  college.  A  Sabbath  class  was 
begun  by  him,  for  the  study  of  the  Scriptures  by 
thoughtful  Bengalis  who,  during  the  week  were 
occupied  in  offices  and  thus  without  leisure.  For 
another  class  a  weekly  lecture  was  held  in  Dr. 
Duff's  own  house.    And  for  older  men  who  de- 


ajo    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

sired  to  renew  their  investigations  an  evening 
lecture  was  begun  in  one  of  the  rooms  of  the  col- 
lege. The  number  of  college  students  continued 
to  increase  and  converts  were  gathered  who  be- 
came a  help  and  a  joy. 

But  a  time  of  trial  was  near.  In  May,  1843, 
Dr.  Duff  wrote,  "  We  are  now  laid  under  the 
necessity  openly  to  avow  our  sentiments.  There 
is  high  probability,  or  rather  moral  certainty  that 
separation  from  the  Establishment  must  be  fol- 
lowed by  the  evacuation  of  the  present  missionary 
premises,  but  there  is  no  hesitation  whatever  as  to 
the  course  to  be  pursued."  On  the  loth  of  Au- 
gust, the  five  Bengal  missionaries  of  the  Church 
of  Scotland  united  in  a  despatch  in  which  they 
set  forth  their  reasons  for  casting  in  their  lot 
with  the  Free  Church.  They  soon  learned  that 
they  did  not  stand  alone.  On  the  24th  of  August, 
when  a  public  meeting  was  called,  it  was  found 
that  nearly  the  whole  of  the  elders  and  a  majority 
of  the  members  of  St.  Andrew's  Kirk  had  thrown 
in  their  lot  with  the  houseless  missionaries.  The 
society  thus  separated,  began  at  once  to  collect 
funds  for  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship,  but 
when  the  building  was  ready  for  occupancy,  it 
suddenly  collapsed.  With  a  zeal  undaunted  by 
this  catastrophe,  means  were  collected  with  which 
to  erect  a  second  edifice ;  and  the  congregation  of 
the  "  Free  Church  "  in  Calcutta  still  worships  in 
the  building  then  erected. 

Dr.  Duff  had  proposed  to  the  committee  of  the 


Alexander  Duff  231 

Established  Church  that  the  missionaries  in  India 
be  peiTnitted  to  purchase  at  a  fair  equivalent  the , 
whole  of  the  buildings  which  they  had  erected, ' 
but  this  proposal  did  not  meet  with  a  favourable 
response.  The  college  vacation  of  this  memorable 
year  was  therefore  spent  in  anxious  search 
through  the  native  city  for  a  temporary  home. 
A  house  sufficiently  commodious  for  the  use  of 
the  college  was  found  at  a  moderate  rental,  and 
was  first  occupied  on  the  4th  of  March,  1844. 
There  were  the  same  missionaries,  the  same  staff 
of  teachers,  and  more  than  one  thousand  students. 
During  this  year,  spontaneous  gifts,  amounting  to 
more  than  £3,400,  were  received,  and  the  mission- 
aries were  greatly  encouraged. 
"  With  his  college  established,  Dr.  Duff's  next 
care  was  for  the  branch  schools  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts, since  he  regarded  those  as  a  very  impor- 
tant evangelising  agency.  His  heart  was  soon 
rejoiced  by  the  conversion  and  baptism  of  several 
young  men  of  ability  and  high  social  position. 
Baptisms  followed  in  such  rapid  succession  that 
the  Brahminical  community  of  Calcutta  became 
alarmed.  When  at  length  four  Kulin  Brahmins 
received  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  the  more 
bigoted  and  vicious  among  the  Hindu  community 
resolved  to  try  to  get  rid  of  Dr.  Duff,  the  cause, 
they  asserted,  of  all  this  unrest.  He  was  warned 
that  violence  to  his  person  was  intended,  but,  ap- 
parently unmoved,  he  went  quietly  on  wath  his 
duties.    As  the  converts  increased  it  became  neces- 


232    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

sary  to  make  some  provision  for  those  who  were 
cast  out  by  their  friends.  In  1846  the  resident 
converts  had  increased  to  thirteen  and  two  of 
this  number  were  married. 

In  July,  1847,  news  reached  India  of  the  death 
of  Dr.  Chalmers,  and  Dr.  Duff  was  urged  to  come 
home  as  his  successor.  To  this  appeal  he  sent  a 
negative  reply.  He  must  remain  in  India,  he  said, 
— must  die  as  he  had  lived, — the  missionary. 
When  his  decision  was  communicated  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly,  that  body  urged  his  temporary  re- 
turn, that  he  might  do  for  the  Free  Church,  what 
he  had  done  for  the  missionary  organisation  be- 
fore the  Disruption,  during  his  visit  to  Scotland. 
To  this  call  from  home,  his  medical  advisers  urged 
him  to  respond,  as  his  incessant  labours  since  his 
return  to  India  had  left  him  with  little  physical 
strength  to  resist  disease.  When  this  necessity 
was  urged  he  yielded,  but  stipulated  that  before 
returning  to  Scotland  time  should  be  given  him 
in  which  to  visit  the  mission  fields  of  Ceylon  as 
well  as  those  of  North  and  South  India,  since 
his  knowledge  of  mission  work  and  methods 
would  thereby  be  greatly  enhanced. 

In  April,  1850,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Duff  left  Calcutta 
for  Scotland.  They  reached  Edinburgh  near  the 
end  of  May,  and  Dr.  Duff  hurried  on  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  and  delivered  five  addresses  before 
that  body.  The  years  succeeding  this  Assembly, 
until  the  beginning  of  1854,  were  spent  by 
him  in  going  from  Synod  to  Synod.     He  tried 


Alexander  DufF  223 

to  reach  every  congregation  however  small,  or 
difficult  of  access.  Ireland,  England  and  Wales 
were  visited,  as  well  as  Scotland.  He  was  en- 
gaged not  only  in  addressing  congregations,  but 
in  seeking  and  sending  out  new  missionaries,  in 
lecturing  to  young  men,  and  in  helping  to  ad- 
vance the  cause  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society. 

In  1 85 1  he  was  made  Moderator  of  the  Free 
Church  Assembly.  He  was  chosen  by  acclama- 
tion, and  discharged  his  high  duties  with  his 
wonted  tact  and  fervour.  Among  the  American 
visitors  present  at  this  Assembly  was  George  H. 
Stuart,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia.  The  eloquent  en- 
thusiasm of  the  missionary-moderator  had  pro- 
foundly interested  him,  and  he  determined  to  in- 
vite him  to  pay  a  visit  to  America.  This  he 
urged  with  great  earnestness,  but  Dr.  Duff  felt 
that  he  was  first  pledged  to  his  own  people.  Mr. 
Stuart  was  glad  to  receive  an  assurance  that  the 
proposition  would  receive  consideration  should 
the  invitation  in  the  future  be  renewed.  Mr. 
Stuart  kept  the  matter  in  mind  and  wrote  again 
and  again,  and  not  a  few  ecclesiastical  bodies  did 
the  same.  A  formal  request  for  a  visit  came  also 
from  Canada.  At  the  beginning  of  1854,  Dr. 
Duff  felt  that  the  time  had  come  when  he  could 
visit  the  churches  of  the  Western  world.  He  em- 
barked from  Liverpool  on  Saturday,  the  28th  of 
January,  and  after  a  very  stormy  passage  reached 
New  York  on  the  15th  of  February.    A  period  of 


234    Men  of  Might  In  India  Missions 

most  engrossing  labour  now  began.  Breakfasts 
were  given  at  which  the  distinguished  visitor  was 
expected  to  make  speeches,  evening  receptions 
were  tendered  after  days  of  uninterrupted  visits 
and  addresses,  with  the  result  that  the  much-feted 
man  sometimes  did  not  find  his  way  to  his  room 
until  one  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

At  the  first  meeting  in  Philadelphia,  held  in 
the  largest  hall  in  the  city,  between  three  and 
four  thousand  persons  were  in  attendance,  while 
thousands  were  turned  away  after  the  hall  was 
filled  to  overflowing.  When  Dr.  Duff  was  intro- 
duced, rounds  of  applause,  repeated  again  and 
again,  greeted  him.  *'  The  kindness  of  the  people 
here  is  absolutely  oppressive,"  he  wrote,  ''  and 
their  importunity  for  addresses  so  autocratic,  that 
I  am  driven  in  spite  of  myself  to  do  more  than 
I  am  physically  able  to  do."  His  chief  strength 
was  spent  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  but  he 
also  paid  a  visit  to  Washington,  and  to  some  of 
the  cities  of  the  West,  on  his  way  to  Canada, 
where  he  was  also  most  enthusiastically  received. 

He  left  New  York  for  Liverpool  on  the  morn- 
ing of  the  13th  of  May.  Both  the  wharf  and  the 
steamer  on  which  he  had  taken  passage  were 
crowded  with  clergymen  and  others  who  had  come 
to  bid  him  farewell.  "  No  such  man  has  visited 
America  since  the  days  of  Whitefield,"  was  fre- 
quently said.  He  had  nowhere  plead  for  money, 
but  when  his  friends  bade  him  good  bye  on  leav- 
ing New  York  a  letter  containing  £3,000  was 


Alexander  DufF  235 

put  into  his  hands.  Canada  also  made  a  contri- 
bution to  forward  his  work,  and  during  his  ab- 
sence, Glasgow  had  raised  a  generous  sum.  Thus 
were  the  means  provided  for  a  new  college  build- 
ing in  Calcutta. 

He  reached  Edinburgh  in  time  to  be  present  at 
the  General  Assembly  of  his  own  Church  and  to 
give  some  account  of  his  experiences  in  the 
United  States  and  in  Canada. 

With  his  heart  still  in  India,  he  had  hoped  to 
return  to  the  land  of  his  adoption  in  the  autumn 
of  1854,  but  the  labours  and  excitement  of  his 
tour  on  the  Western  Continent,  had  left  him  in 
such  a  state  of  mental  prostration  that  his  phy- 
sicians insisted  on  a  lengthened  period  of  absolute 
rest  in  the  South  of  Europe. 

On  the  13th  of  October,  1855,  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Duff  for  the  third  time  left  Scotland  for  India. 
Calcutta  was  reached  in  February.  His  first  serv- 
ice after  his  arrival  was  preaching  on  the  Sab- 
bath in  the  Free  Church,  "  amid  a  mighty  rush 
and  conflict  of  emotions  to  an  overflowing  audi- 
ence." 

On  the  last  day  of  February,  1856,  Lord  Can- 
ning, the  recently  inducted  Governor-General  took 
the  oaths  of  office,  little  dreaming  how  fierce  a 
storm  would  in  a  few  months  sweep  over  the 
Empire.  It  was  the  eve  of  the  terrible  mutiny, 
the  darkest  time  in  the  whole  history  of  India 
under  British  rule.  Calcutta  was  exempt  from 
actual  outbreak,  but  there  was  constant  alarm 


2^6    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

and  panic.  Sometime  during  the  summer  of  this 
sadly  memorable  year,  Dr.  Duff  wrote,  '*  I  have 
a  confident  persuasion  that  our  work  in  India  is 
not  accomplished,  and  that  until  it  be  accomp- 
lished, our  tenure  of  Empire  is  secure." 

The  work  in  Calcutta  under  his  superintendence 
had  never  been  so  prosperous  as  during  this  year 
of  trial.  The  new  college  building  was  now  ready 
for  occupancy,  and  there  were  1,200  students  in 
attendance. 

In  July,  1863,  Dr.  Duff's  old  enemy,  dysentery 
again  laid  him  low.  To  save  his  life,  the  phy- 
sicians in  attendance,  hurried  him  away  on  a  sea- 
voyage  to  China.  Not  rallying  as  he  had  hoped  to 
do,  on  his  return  to  Calcutta,  he  began  prepara- 
tions for  taking  a  final  leave  of  India.  When  his 
decision  became  known,  all  classes  of  the  com- 
munity united  to  do  him  honour.  Scholarships 
bearing  his  name  were  endowed  in  the  university. 
The  Bethune  Society  and  the  Doveton  College, 
both  of  which  institutions  had  been  greatly  bene- 
fited by  his  labours,  procured  oil  paintings  of 
their  benefactor.  His  own  students,  Christian  and 
non-Christian,  placed  his  marble  bust  in  the  Hall, 
where  so  many  young  men  had  sat  at  his  feet. 
Some  of  the  Scottish  merchants  of  India,  Singa- 
pore and  China,  presented  him  with  the  sum  of 
ii,ioo.  He  consented  to  accept  the  interest  of 
this  amount.  The  capital  he  desired  should  be 
used  to  aid  in  the  support  of  the  invalided  mis- 
sionaries of  his  own  church. 


Alexander  Duff  237 

On  Saturday,  the  20th  of  December,  1863,  at- 
tended by  a  great  company  of  sorrowing  friends 
the  invalid  missionary  embarked  on  the  "  Hot- 
spur," for  his  native  land.  Though  never  again 
robust  in  health,  he  was  spared  for  fourteen  years 
to  labour  and  to  pray  for  the  cause  to  which  he 
had  devoted  his  life.  A  fund  of  iio,ooo  was 
raised  with  which  to  endow  a  Missionary  Pro- 
fessorship and  to  this  chair  Dr.  Duff  was  unani- 
mously called  by  his  Church.  Not  only  did  he 
prepare  lectures,  but  delivered  these  every  winter 
in  the  Colleges  of  Aberdeen,  Edinburgh  and  Glas- 
gow. He  refused  all  emoluments  connected  with 
this  professorship,  as  well  as  any  income  from 
his  office  as  Convener  of  the  Foreign  Missions' 
Committee,  contenting  himself  with  the  interest 
of  the  Duff  Missionary  Fund ;  and  no  small  pro- 
portion of  this  was  spent  in  systematic  bene- 
ficence. When  Mr.  Duff  declined  to  accept  more 
than  the  interest  of  the  handsome  sum  offered 
him  by  private  friends,  and  this  only  in  lieu  of 
any  remuneration  connected  with  the  offices  he 
held,  these  same  friends  purchased  and  presented 
him  with  a  house  in  Edinburgh,  and  this  house, 
after  his  return  to  Scotland,  became  his  home. 
The  light  and  joy  of  this  home  was  the  devoted 
wife,  who,  during  all  the  years  of  his  missionary 
life  in  India,  had  been  his  comfort  and  his  in- 
spiration. In  the  beginning  of  1865  this  dear 
companion  was  removed  by  death.  Though  to  the 
end  of  his  pilgrimage  cared  for  with  filial  devo- 


1238    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

tion  and  friendly  affection,  Dr.  Duff  from  this 
time  felt  in  a  peculiar  sense  alone.  He  neglected 
none  of  his  duties,  but  he  spent  much  time  in  the 
study  of  God's  Word,  finding  there  the  truest 
solace  for  a  wounded  heart. 

In  1873,  the  veteran  missionary  was  a  second 
time  made  Moderator  of  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland.  He  had  now 
completed  his  seventieth  year  and  his  physical 
strength  had  begun  visibly  to  abate,  but  he  con- 
tinued his  preparations  for  trying  once  more,  dur- 
ing the  sessions  of  the  General  Assembly  to  arouse 
the  church  to  its  duty  in  respect  to  Foreign  Mis- 
sions. 

A  year  later  his  feebleness  had  so  increased 
that  he  was  unable  to  be  present  at  the  sessions 
of  the  General  Assembly,  but  he  continued  to  use 
his  pen  with  all  his  former  power.  In  1878  he 
wrote  letters  resigning  all  the  offices  he  held,  in 
order  that  he  might  devote  all  his  remaining 
powers  to  a  renewed  advocacy  of  the  duty  of  the 
church  more  faithfully  to  carry  out  the  last  com- 
mand of  the  world's  Redeemer. 

As  alarming  symptoms  increased,  the  invalid's 
second  son  was  summoned  from  Calcutta  and 
reached  Scotland  just  a  month  before  his  father 
passed  away.  The  aged  sufferer  said  to  his  son 
on  his  arrival,  '*  I  am  in  God's  hands  to  go  or 
stay.  If  He  has  need  for  me.  He  will  raise  me 
up;  if  otherwise,  it  is  far  better."     A  few  days 


Alexander  Duff  239 

/later,  he  said,  "I  am  very  low,  and  cannot  say 
/much,  but  I  am  living  daily,  habitually  in  Hirnil 
~  When  his  daughter  repeated  to  him  the  first 
line  of  John  Newton's  beautiful  hymn, 

"  How  sweet  the  name  of  Jesus  sounds," 

he  responded  with  peculiar  emphasis,  "unspeak- 
able/' I 

He  lingered  until  th^  12th  of  February,  1878,/ 
when  in  perfect  peace  he  passed  away.  His  re- 
mains were  conveyed  from  Sidmouth,  where  he 
died,  to  Edinburgh,  and  around  his  bier  Chris- 
tians of  all  confessions  met.  The  professors  and 
students  of  the  universities  with  which  he  had 
been  associated,  joined  the  great  procession.  Peer 
and  citizen,  missionary  and  minister  bore  the  pall 
and  laid  the  precious  dust  in  the  grave.  The 
great  missionary  societies  were  all  represented. 

*'  His  coffin  should  be  covered  with  palm- 
branches/'  said  one.  "  His  work  on  earth  was 
crowned  with  the  blessing  of  the  Master,  and  in 
His  presence,  as  one  who  turned  many  to  righte- 
ousness, he  shall  shine  as  the  stars  forever  and 
ever." 


X 

JOHN  ANDERSON 
1837-1855 

At  the  close  of  the  address  made  by  Dr.  Duff 
before  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of 
Scotland  in  May,  1835,  the  venerable  Dr.  Stewart 
of  Erskine  rose  and  said,  ''  It  has  been  my  privi- 
lege to  hear  both  Mr.  Fox  and  Mr.  Pitt  in  the 
House  of  Commons  when  in  the  zenith  of  their 
glory  as  statesmen  and  orators,  but  the  speech  to 
which  we  have  just  listened  excels  in  its  lofty 
tone,  its  close  argumentative  force,  its  transcen- 
dent eloquence  and  overpowering  impressiveness, 
anything  which  I  ever  heard  from  their  Hps." 

Reports  of  that  marvellous  address  were  sent 
through  the  length  and  breadth  of  Scotland.  An 
abridged  report  came  into  the  hands  of  a  young 
man  temporarily  laid  aside  by  illness  in  a  quiet 
retreat  on  the  banks  of  the  Nith,  near  Dumfries. 
"  It  kindled  a  spirit,"  wrote  this  young  man,  '*  that 
raised  us  up  from  our  bed  and  pointed  as  with  the 
finger  of  God  to  India  as  the  field  of  our  future 
labours,  should  it  please  God  to  open  the  way." 

That  young  man  was  John  Anderson,  born  in 
Galloway  in  the  parish  of  Kilpatrick-Durham,  on 
240 


John  Anderson  241 

the  23rd  of  May,  1805.  The  eldest  son  of  a  family 
of  nine  children,  and  with  a  totally  blind  father, 
who  was  the  possessor  of  little  worldly  wealth, 
the  boy  was  made  to  bear  the  yoke  in  his  youth. 
His  mother  was  a  woman  marvellously  brave  of 
spirit,  as  well  as  very  tender  of  heart,  so  there 
was  much  sunshine  mingled  with -the  dark  mists 
and  rough  winds  that  swept  around  and  into  this 
humble  Scottish  home.  As  might  be  expected 
from  one  reared  amid  rugged  hills,  the  boy  was 
bold  and  adventurous.  He  was  also  fond  of 
reading  and  showed  a  decided  preference  for 
works  of  history.  An  aged  woman  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  his  home  had  a  little  library,  from 
whose  shelves  John  was  permitted  to  carry  home 
for  his  hours  of  leisure  such  books  as  pleased  his 
fancy. 

'"  You  have  now  read  all  my  books  but  one," 
said  this  kind  friend  as  John  was  one  day  turn- 
ing over  the  volumes.    "  That  book  is  the  Bible." 

"  But  I  cannot  read  that,"  replied  the  youth 
with  some  impatience. 

"  Why  not,  John  ?  "  was  quietly  asked. 

"  It  is  the  corrupt  nature  that  will  not  let  me. 
I  like  history  and  such  books,"  was  the  frank 
answer. 

The  elements  of  learning  were  acquired  at  the 
parish  school,  and  the  study  of  Latin  was  com- 
menced with  Mr.  Stevenson,  a  gentleman  who 
felt  a  deep  interest  in  the  lad  because  convinced 
that  he  possessed  a  mind  well  worth  cultivatincr. 


2^2    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Mr.  Anderson  entered  the  Edinburgh  University 
in  his  twenty-second  year.  So  well  had  he  im- 
proved his  opportunities  under  Mr.  Stevenson's 
tuition  that  he  took  high  rank  in  the  university 
as  a  Latin  scholar,  and  at  the  end  of  the  first 
session  won  a  prize  for  a  Latin  poem  and  a  second 
prize  for  diligence  in  private  study.  The  follow- 
ing winter  Mr.  Anderson  joined  the  senior  class 
in  Latin,  and  received  a  beautiful  copy  of  the 
whole  of  Cicero's  works  for  a  spirited  poem  on 
Hannibal's  march  against  Rome.  The  next  ses- 
sion he  gained  a  prize  as  a  student  of  moral  phi- 
losophy. The  fourth  session  completed  his  course 
at  the  university,  his  vigourous  intellect  and  in- 
tense application  having  won  for  him  the  high 
regard  of  his  instructors. 

We  are  told  that  Mr.  Anderson's  blind  father 
could  repeat  from  memory  almost  the  entire 
Bible,  but  the  boy's  religious  impressions  were 
received,  as  he  himself  testifies,  in  the  Rev.  Mr. 
McWhirr's  Sabbath  School.  Having  resolved  to 
devote  himself  to  the  Gospel  ministry,  Mr.  Ander- 
son entered  the  Divinity  Hall  of  Edinburgh  in 
the  winter  of  1 830-1  and  enjoyed  the  inestimable 
advantage  of  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Drs.  Chalmers 
and  Welsh,  the  professors  of  Theology  and 
Church  History.  Four  years  were  spent  in  theo- 
logical study;  and  only  a  man  possessed  of  ster- 
ling elements  of  character  would  so  cheerfully 
have  overcome  all  obstacles  in  order  to  prosecute 
his  studies.  After  his  classes  in  the  university  were 


John  Anderson  243 

over  Mr.  Anderson  would  walk  two  or  three  miles 
in  storm  as  well  as  sunshine  to  teach  in  the  Mar- 
iner's School,  returning  to  Edinburgh  at  eight 
or  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  then  by  rush- 
light he  would  prepare  his  lessons  for  the  follow- 
ing morning. 

No  wonder  that  toward  the  close  of  his  course 
in  Divinity,  his  naturally  fine  constitution  showed 
signs  of  giving  way.  For  nearly  two  years  he 
was  laid  aside,  and  it  was  not  until  the  early 
part  of  1835  that  his  health  began  to  improve.  He 
was  in  a  very  despondent  frame  of  mind  when  in 
June  of  this  year  fragments  of  the  address  de- 
livered by  Dr.  Duff  before  the  General  Assembly 
in  May,  found  their  way  to  his  quiet  retreat,  and 
through  the  stirring  words  of  the  great  mission- 
ary his  spirit  received  an  irresistible  touch  which 
decided  his  future  course,"  To  India  he  would 
go,  should  the  Lord  open  the  way. 

In  so  important  a  matter  Mr.  Anderson  re- 
solved to  consult  Dr.  Gordon,  from  whom  he  had 
received  much  kindness  and  who  had  given  him 
much  excellent  counsel  when  he  had  made  known 
to  him  his  desire  to  become  a  minister  of  the 
Gospel.  After  an  interview  with  Dr.  Gordon, 
several  months  passed  before  the  subject  was 
again  introduced.  On  the  29th  of  April,  1836, 
Dr.  Gordon  wrote  to  Mr.  Anderson,  saying,  "  Tell 
me,  by  return  of  post,  how  your  health  is,  when 
you  can  be  licensed  and  whether  you  have  the 
same  desire  as  before  to  go  to  India." 


244    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Mr.  Anderson  replied  at  once  and  favourably. 
On  the  3rd  of  the  following  May  he  was  licensed 
to  preach  the  Gospel  by  the  Presbytery  of  Dum- 
fries and  a  few  days  later  was  summoned  to 
Edinburgh  to  meet  the  Committee  on  Foreign 
Missions.  On  the  28th  of  June  he  received  his 
appointment  to  Madras  as  a  missionary  of  the 
Church  of  Scotland.  His  ordination  took  place 
in  St.  George's  Church,  Edinburgh,  on  the  13th 
of  July.  During  the  following  week  Mr.  Ander- 
son bade  adieu  to  his  relatives ;  among  whom  was 
his  aged  and  blind  father,  and  the  parting  was 
a  sore  trial  to  both  father  and  son. 

Paying  a  visit  to  London,  the  missionary-elect 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Dr.  Duff,  from  whom 
he  received  much  kindness  and  encouragement. 
On  the  13th  of  August  Mr.  Anderson  left  Ports- 
mouth in  the  "  Scotia."  The  voyage  around  the 
Cape  to  Calcutta  was  tedious,  but  the  young  mis- 
sionary made  many  friends  among  his  fellow- 
voyagers,  who  in  token  of  their  appreciation  of 
his  efforts  for  their  spiritual  good,  presented  him 
at  parting  with  a  handsome  Bible. 

The  Missionary  Committee  had  deemed  it  ad- 
visable that  Mr.  Anderson  before  proceeding  to 
Madras  should  visit  the  Missionary  Institution  at 
Calcutta,  which  during  the  absence  in  Scotland  of 
Dr.  Duff,  the  founder,  was  ably  superintended 
by  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Mackay  and  Ewart. 

The  ''  Scotia  "  reached  Calcutta  a  day  or  two 
earlier  than  she  was  expected,  and  in  consequence 


John  Anderson  245 

on  his  arrival  on  the  12th  of  December,  Mr.  An- 
derson found  no  one  to  meet  him.  He,  however 
made  his  way  at  once  to  the  mission-house ;  and, 
Mr.  Ewart  wrote,  **  We  seemed  to  get  acquainted 
with  our  new  colleague  almost  immediately." 

Full  of  zeal,  the  new  missionary  was  anxious 
without  delay  to  continue  his  journey  to  Madras, 
but  no  vessel  was  available  until  the  beginning  of 
February.  Madras  was  reached  on  the  22nd  of 
the  same  month.  His  health  had  been  materially 
benefited  by  the  long  sea-voyage,  and  his  spirit 
had  been  refreshed  and  his  faith  strengthened  by 
what  he  had  seen  and  heard  in  Calcutta  in  con- 
nection with  the  mission  work  in  progress  there. 
"  I  feel  as  if  I  were  a  new  man,"  he  wrote  to 
a  friend  soon  after  his  arrival  in  Madras. 

Two  years  before  Mr.  Anderson's  arrival,  two 
Scotch  chaplains  had  opened  the  *'  St.  Andrew's 
School,"  and  after  collecting  funds  in  India  for 
this  object,  had  applied  to  the  Church  of  Scotland 
for  a  missionary,  with  a  view  to  the  establish- 
ment of  an  institution  like  that  founded  in  Cal- 
cutta by  Dr.  Dufif.  This  school  was  made  over  to 
Mr.  Anderson.  A  suitable  building  was  rented 
in  a  central  location,  and  on  the  3rd  of  April, 
1837,  the  school  was  formally  opened  with  fifty- 
nine  Hindu  boys  and  young  men.  In  the  pros- 
pectus sent  out  before  entering  upon  his  educa- 
tional work  in  Madras,  Mr.  Anderson  frankly  an- 
nounced that  **  the  ultimate  object  was  a  normal 
seminary  in  which  native  teachers  and  preachers 


1246    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

may  be  trained  up  to  convey  to  their  benighted 
countrymen  the  benefit  of  a  sound  education  and 
the  blessings  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ."  In  two 
and  a  half  months  the  number  of  pupils  had  in- 
creased to  180. 

In  communicating  religious  truth,  Mr.  Ander- 
son "  had  the  rare  sagacity,"  wrote  one  of  his 
pupils  in  later  years,  ''  to  know  how  far  to  go, 
and  when  to  stop  without  sacrificing  principle, 
or  wounding  unnecessarily  the  feelings  of  others, 
while  his  happy  mixture  of  firmness  and  kindness 
won  the  affections  of  his  pupils." 

The  first  public  examination  took  place  nine 
months  after  the  opening  of  the  school.  The 
occasion  brought  together  not  only  many  promi- 
nent European  citizens,  but  a  large  company  of 
influential  natives,  and  all  carried  away  most 
favourable  impressions  of  the  results  achieved. 

Special  instruction  was  given  by  Mr.  Ander- 
son to  a  class  of  monitors,  and  these  in  their  turn 
communicated  to  the  junior  classes  the  knowl- 
edge they  had  acquired.  By  this  method  a  class 
of  teachers  was  trained  whose  services  became 
most  valuable.  "  The  pupils  are  taught,"  wrote 
the  missionary  to  a  friend,  "  every  truth  I  would 
teach  in  my  native  land.  The  school  ought  to  be 
our  desk,  our  pulpit  and  our  professor's  chair." 

As  the  work  mcreased  Mr.  Anderson  felt  the 
need  of  an  associate,  and  he  was  consequently  de- 
lighted when  the  tidings  reached  him  from  home 
that  the  man  whom  before  all  others  he  himself 


John  Anderson  247 

would  have  chosen,  his  dearest  friend,  the  Rev. 
Robert  Johnson,  would  soon  be  sent  to  his  as- 
sistance. The  school  which  Mr.  Anderson  had 
founded  was  intended  primarily  for  children  and 
youths  from  the  higher  castes.  The  admission  of 
low-caste  pupils,  he  felt  convinced  would  frustrate 
his  great  aim,  "  the  Christianising  of  the  un- 
touched masses  of  the  caste-bound  population ;  " 
but  on  the  19th  of  October,  1838,  three  pariah 
boys  found  admission  into  the  school  under  false 
colours,  having  on  their  foreheads  the  usual  idol- 
atrous marks  of  caste.  As  soon  as  their  true 
status  in  the  Hindu  community  was  discovered, 
there  was  much  excitement  and  indignant  feeling 
in  the  school,  and  the  missionary  was  asked  to 
expel  the  intruders.  This  he  firmly  declined  to 
do.  He  had  not  introduced  these  pupils.  They 
had  applied  for  admission  and  had  been  received. 
To  expel  them  would  be  to  countenance  caste. 
Such  a  step  he  could  not  therefore  take.  Another 
school  in  the  city  opened  its  doors  to  receive  such 
students  as  were  unwilling  to  be  associated  with 
boys  of  a  low  caste,  and  one  hundred  pupils  at 
once  left  the  school.  This  was  a  sore  trial  to 
Mr.  Anderson. 

The  opportune  arrival  of  his  new  colleague,  the 
Rev.  Robert  Johnson  on  the  morning  of  January 
24th,  1839,  imparted  new  strength  and  courage 
to  the  solitary  worker  in  this  time  of  perplexity, 
and  the  two  friends  were  soon  wholly  absorbed 
in  the  work  of  "  making  Christ  known  to  some, 


1248    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

that  these  might  become  the  instruments  of  mak- 
ing Him  known  to  many."  Mr.  Anderson  wisely 
reasoned  that  if  the  Gospel  were  first  preached  in 
the  great  cities,  from  these  centres  the  light  would 
be  carried  to  the  villages  and  hamlets.  From  the 
first  he  had  entertained  the  idea  of  expansion  in 
the  direction  of  branch  schools.  The  arrival  of 
Mr.  Johnson  made  such  an  advance  possible.  The 
first  branch  school  was  opened  at  Conjeveram, 
forty-iive  miles  from  Madras.  This  city  is  re- 
garded by  the  Hindus  in  South  India  as  ranking 
first  in  antiquity  and  sacredness.  Its  temples  are 
magnificent,  and  at  the  great  annual  festival  in 
May,  100,000  worshippers  assemble  from  all 
parts  of  India. 

Leaving  the  school  in  Madras  for  a  time  in  Mr. 
Johnson's  charge,  Mr.  Anderson  himself  went  to 
Conjeveram  to  begin  a  school  there  taking  with 
him  four  of  his  trained  monitors.  The  school  was 
opened  on  the  29th  of  May  in  the  midst  of  the 
great  Hindu  festival,  and  during  the  hottest  sea- 
son of  the  year,  when  the  hot  winds  were  like  a 
blast  from  a  furnace.  There  was  much  to  dis- 
courage in  the  outset,  but  the  school  proved 
eventually  a  most  successful  enterprise.  Three 
other  important  branch  schools  were  ere  long 
opened,  and  each  one  became  a  centre  of  light 
intellectually  and  spiritually. 

On  the  20th  of  April,  1840,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Duff 
arrived  from  Bombay  en  route  to  Calcutta.  They 
remained  five  days  in  Madras,  and  brought  much 


John  Anderson  249 

refreshment  to  all.  On  the  day  of  his  arrival, 
Dr.  Duff  spent  several  hours  in  the  institution, 
''  setting  the  pupils  on  fire  by  the  truths  he  pre- 
sented in  his  own  inimitable  way." 

Early  in  1841  the  Rev.  John  Braid  wood  and 
Mrs.  Braidwood  arrived  in  Madras.  Referring  to 
this  reinforcement  to  the  mission,  Mr.  Anderson 
said,  "  It  is  hardly  four  years  since  I  crossed  the 
surf  from  Calcutta  alone,  with  no  one  on  the 
shore  to  bid  me  welcome:,  now  I  have  many 
friends  and  tokens  manifold  of  God's  goodness 
to  me." 

In  1838  the  Rev.  Robert  Caldwell,  afterward 
Bishop  of  Tinnevelly,  arrived  in  Madras,  where 
he  spent  two  years  chiefly  in  the  study  of  the 
Tamil  language.  In  his  "  Reminiscences,"  in  the 
chapter  devoted  to  the  men  whose  acquaintance  he 
made  in  Madras  during  his  residence  there,  he 
thus  speaks  of  Mr.  Anderson,  "  One  of  the  most 
prominent  figures  in  the  missionary  world  of 
Madras  at  that  time  was  that  of  Mr.  Anderson, 
best  known  as  John  Anderson,  of  the  Scotch 
Presbyterian  Mission,  the  Dr.  Duff  of  Madras, 
by  whom  the  first  great  English  school  for  Hindu 
youths  was  established,  and  the  first  systematic 
effort  made  to  use  English  education  as  a  means 
of  spreading  Christianity  among  the  higher  classes 
and  castes.  John  Anderson  was  my  greatest 
friend  in  Madras  at  that  time.  He  was  one  of  the 
ablest  and  most  zealous  and  devoted  missionaries 
I  have  ever  met,  and  was  certainly  the  most  en- 


1250    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

thusiastic.  Enthusiasm,  however,  was  one  of  the 
most  marked  characteristics  of  his  nature,  and 
showed  itself,  not  only  in  his  missionary  work, 
but  in  everything  he  did  and  said.  He  was  one 
of  the  mightiest  talkers  I  have  ever  met.  I  have 
often  stood  listening  to  him  at  night  in  the  streets 
for  hours  after  we  had  been  supposed  to  bid  one 
another  good-bye,  and  one  night  we  never  slept 
at  all,  but  sat,  or  lay  awake  the  whole  night,  I 
listening,  and  he  pouring  out  upon  me  the  floods 
of  his  fluent,  enthusiastic  talk.  One  of  his  chief 
characteristics  was  his  almost  womanly  tender- 
ness and  affection  towards  his  students,  which 
was  one  of  the  things  that  conduced  to  the  great 
number  of  conversions  of  educated  young  men 
with  which  his  work  was  marked.  Throughout 
the  Presidency  of  Madras  for  many  years  the 
name  of  John  Anderson,  and  the  fame  and  influ- 
ence of  what  was  called  Anderson's  School — now 
developed  into  the  Christian  College — were  like 
household  words." 

One  of  the  ends  which  Mr.  Anderson  kept  con- 
stantly in  view,  the  training  of  teachers  from 
among  the  students,  was  producing  most  satis- 
factory results.  Within  four  years  after  the  be- 
ginning of  his  work  in  Madras  eighteen  students 
had  received  so  thorough  a  training  as  to  make 
them  well  fitted  to  impart  secular  instruction,  and 
all  were  saturated  with  the  truths  of  the  Bible. 
y'  Our  greatest  trial  now  is,"  wrote  Mr.  Anderson, 
*  "  that  we  do  not  see  the  souls  over  whom  we 


John  Anderson  251 

yearn  converted  to  God.  Our  hearts  begin  to 
yearn  for  the  first  ripe  fruits."  / 

At  length  some  hearts  were  stirred.  On  Satur- 
day of  each  week  all  the  pupils  under  instruction 
were  arranged,  in  three  divisions,  each  in  charge 
of  a  missionary,  and  four  or  five  hours  were  spent 
in  repeating  the  portions  of  Scripture  learned 
during  the  week,  and  in  careful  Biblical  instruc- 
tion. It  was  one  of  the  passages  of  Scripture 
thus  learned  that  proved  the  Sword  of  the  Spirit 
to  one  of  the  pupils.  This  youth  with  another 
from  the  highest  class,  both  lads  of  superior  in- 
telligence, renounced  Hinduism  in  favour  of 
Christianity,  and  on  Sabbath  evening,  June  20th, 
1841,  received  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  Cast 
out  by  their  friends  because  of  the  step  they  had 
taken,  they  were  received  into  the  home  of  the 
missionaries.  This  event  made  no  small  stir 
among  the  caste  people  of  the  city  and  reduced 
the  number  of  students  in  attendance  from  four 
hundred  to  seventy.  The  friends  of  the  young 
men  after  doing  all  in  their  power  to  induce  the 
converts  to  renounce  the  faith  they  had  espoused 
made  an  appeal  to  the  magistrate,  who  after  an 
examination  in  the  presence  of  witnesses,  ruled 
that  the  young  men  were  of  full  age  and  capable 
of  deciding  for  themselves  in  matters  religious. 
They  were  therefore,  in  accordance  with  their  ex- 
pressed wish,  returned  to  the  care  of  the  mission- 
aries. 

On  the  bench  with  the  European  Magistrate 


2^2    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

was  a  sagacious  Brahmin.  The  father  of  one  of 
the  youths  bitterly  upbraided  him  for  acquiescing 
in  the  decision  of  the  EngHsh  Magistrate.  His 
reply  was  significant.  "  Mr.  Anderson  is  an  hon- 
est man.  He  told  you  from  the  beginning  that 
conversion  was  his  object,  and  I  warned  you,  but 
you  did  not  listen  to  me,  and  placed  your  sons 
under  his  instruction." 

A  few  weeks  later  there  was  another  baptism 
from  among  the  students,  but  the  event  passed 
without  tumult  and  without  legal  proceedings, 
though  the  feeling  roused  by  the  two  first  baptisms 
had  in  no  degree  abated,  and  the  institution  con- 
tinued to  be  shunned  like  a  hospital  filled  with 
plague-stricken  patients. 

At  this  time  when  there  was  much  to  discour- 
age, a  beginning  was  made  in  a  very  important 
work.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Braidwood  removed  from 
the  building  which  until  then  had  been  the  home 
of  the  entire  mission  household,  to  another  resi- 
dence. Here  Mrs.  Braidwood  opened  a  school 
for  girls.  A  Tamil  teacher  was  found  who  was 
willing  to  give  Mrs.  Braidwood  instruction  in 
the  language,  and  at  the  same  time  to  teach  his 
own  sister  and  a  few  other  little  girls  whom  he 
brought  daily  to  the  mission  house.  In  this  small 
beginning  of  a  very  interesting  and  most  impor- 
tant work,  Mrs.  Braidwood  took  the  deepest  in- 
terest. 

Mr.  Anderson,  ever  ready  to  seize  or  to  make 
an  opportunity  for  helping  forward  the  work  of 


John  Anderson  253 

evangelisation,  conceived  the  plan  of  beginning  a 
periodical  in  English  in  order  to  reach  and  benefit 
the  youths  who  had  formerly  been  under  his  in- 
struction, but  were  now  widely  scattered  because 
of  the  baptisms  which  had  taken  place  in  con- 
nection with  the  institution.  The  first  number 
of  the  "  Native  Herald  "  appeared  on  the  2nd  of 
October,  1841,  and  the  subscription  list  soon  num- 
bered over  two  hundred. 

At  the  sixth  annual  examination  of  Mr.  Ander- 
son's School  the  Marquis  of  Tweeddale,  Gover- 
nor of  Madras,  presided,  and  his  words  of  warm 
commendation  encouraged  the  hearts  of  all.  Dur- 
ing the  six  years  since  the  opening  of  the  parent  in- 
stitution and  the  subsequent  opening  of  the  branch 
schools,  nearly  two  thousand  pupils  had  received 
instruction  and  all  had  learned  much  Bible  truth. 
The  three  students  who  had  received  baptism  and 
who  had  remained  steadfast,  showed  not  only 
great  aptitude  for  teaching,  but  an  earnest  desire 
to  be  trained  for  the  work  of  making  Chris( 
known  to  their  fellow-men. 

It  was  not  until  the  beginning  of  July,  1843, 
that  it  was  certainly  known  in  Madras  that  the 
Disruption  of  the  Church  of  Scotland  had  become 
an  accomplished  fact  in  the  previous  May.  The 
missionaries  did  not  hesitate  to  cast  in  their  lot 
with  the  Protesting  party,  and  their  decision  was 
promptly  communicated  to  Dr.  Brunton,  the  Mis- 
sion Convener.  Occupying  united  premises  both 
for  the  collecre  and  the  residence  of  the  mission- 


254    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

aries,  when  the  Disruption  came  there  were  no 
buildings  to  lose  fn  Madras.  In  the  straitened 
condition  of  the  finances  caused  by  the  Disrup- 
tion it  was  decided  to  make  an  appeal  for  funds 
to  such  of  their  friends  in  India  as  were  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  work  they  were  trying  to  do  and 
with  the  step  they  had  taken  in  separating  them- 
selves from  the  Established  Church.  This  appeal 
was  sent  out  by  Mr.  Anderson  as  senior  mission- 
ary and  Secretary,  and  in  a  few  days  brought 
more  than  nine  thousand  rupees  into  the  mission 
treasury. 

During  the  year  following  the  Disruptfon  the 
confidence  reposed  in  the  missionaries,  and  the 
high  regard  in  which  their  work  was  held,  were 
manifested  in  a  very  practical  manner,  as  during 
the  year  the  contributions  made  in  India  for  the 
work  of  the  mission  reached  the  sum  of  17,370 
rupees. 

The  school  had  in  a  measure  recovered  from 
the  panic  and  consequent  desertions  occasioned  by 
the  first  baptisms  among  the  students,  when  a 
Brahmin  youth,  nineteen  years  of  age  proclaimed 
himself  a  Christian  and  received  the  rite  of  bap- 
tism. Before  taking  this  decisive  step  he  was 
visited  by  his  father  who  tried  by  persuasion  and 
threats  to  dissuade  him  from  his  purpose,  but  the 
youth  remained  firm.  On  the  morning  of  his 
baptism  his  mother,  accompanied  by  other  female 
relatives  arrived,  but  the  young  man  declined  to 
see  them.  "  I  have  told  my  father  all,"  he  said. 


John  Anderson  255 

"  My  feelings  are  unchanged."  He  was  baptised 
in  the  Hall  of  the  institution  in  the  presence  of  his 
fellow-students.  On  the  following  day  more  than 
three  hundred  pupils  absented  themselves  from 
the  classes;  and  when  the  news  reached  the 
branch  schools  the  numbers  there  were  also 
greatly  diminished.  After  several  months  the 
younger  pupils  began  to  return,  but  the  older 
pupils  were  not  again  permitted  to  place  them- 
selves under  the  instruction  of  the  missionaries. 

The  first  examination  of  the  girls  in  the  caste- 
schools  which  had  been  established  was  private. 
The  second  examination  of  these  schools  was  held 
in  the  Hall  of  the  institution  and  was  public.  Over 
four  hundred  girls  were  present,  all  of  whom  had 
received  careful  religious  instruction. 

After  the  Disruption,  a  Free  Church  Presby- 
tery was  formed  in  Madras,  and  in  March,  1846, 
the  first  three  converts  who  had  been  under  in- 
struction from  the  time  of  their  baptism  were 
licensed  to  preach  the  Gospel  by  this  Presbytery, 
the  services  were  conducted  with  great  solemnity 
and  impressiveness,  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
assembly  of  Europeans  and  the  people  of  the 
land. 

To  give  the  element  of  stability  to  the  mission, 
a  permanent  location  seemed  desirable,  and  it  was 
at  length  decided  to  try  to  raise  in  India  a  sum 
for  the  purchase  of  premises  for  the  institution. 
The  amount  asked  for  in  the  circular  issued  was 
25,000  rupees,  and  in  a  few  weeks  over  twenty 


2^6    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

thousand  rupees  had  been  subscribed.  A  large 
house  admirably  suited  for  their  purposes  was  at 
this  time  offered  for  sale  for  the  sum  of  25,000 
rupees,  and  this  was  at  once  secured.  The  school 
was  transferred  to  the  new  premises  in  Decem- 
ber, 1846. 

On  the  29th  of  January,  1847,  ^^r.  Anderson 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  Locher, 
of  Zurich,  Switzerland,  who  had  come  to  Madras 
two  years  before  to  engage  in  work  among  the 
women.  Miss  Locher  was  a  lady  of  devoted 
piety,  generous  impulses  and  full  of  zeal  for  the 
work  of  the  Lord.  Not  long  after  Mr.  Ander- 
son's marriage  five  girls  from  the  first  class  in 
the  caste-school  in  Madras  made  known  their 
desire  to  become  Christians.  These  girls  had  all 
reached  the  age  of  discretion  and  could  not  there- 
fore be  forcibly  removed  by  their  friends.  After 
they  had  placed  themselves  under  the  care  of  the 
missionaries,  the  parents  of  the  other  girls  in  the 
school  took  alarm  and  in  two  or  three  days  the 
entire  school  was  swept  away.  The  branch  schools 
also  suffered.  Three  other  girls  ere  long  joined 
the  first  five  girls  who  had  renounced  Hinduism, 
and  all  these  became  the  special  care  of  Mrs.  An- 
derson. 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Anderson's  marriage,  ten 
young  men  who  had  been  the  joint  care  of  the 
two  senior  missionaries  since  their  baptism,  were 
placed  under  the  special  care  of  Mr.  Johnson,  and 
with  him  occupied  rooms  at  one  end  of  the  insti- 


John  Anderson  257 

tutlon,  while  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anderson  and  the 
girls  in  their  care  had  rooms  at  the  opposite  end 
of  the  building. 

When  the  premises  purchased  for  the  institu- 
tion were  occupied,  it  was  with  the  expectation 
that  it  would  ere  long  be  possible  to  make  much 
needed  enlargements  and  improvements ;  but  as 
funds  were  not  forthcoming  for  this  purpose  from 
Scotland  and  as  the  money  raised  in  India  was 
required  to  maintain  the  work,  nothing  could 
be  done;  while  the  mission  family  was  increased 
from  time  to  time  by  the  addition  of  converts  cast 
off  by  their  friends.  *'  My  colleagues  and  my- 
self," wrote  Mr.  Anderson  to  the  committee  at 
home,  "  have  special  cause  for  gratitude  that  we 
have  been  so  long  spared  to  labour  together  in 
this  work  without  being  obliged  to  have  any 
change  for  the  benefit  of  our  health.  It  is  my 
duty  however  to  tell  you  that  I  am  considerably 
broken,  and  neither  of  my  colleagues  has  any 
strength  to  spare.  I  hope,  therefore,  that  you 
will  be  able  without  delay  to  send  us  some  money 
for  the  enlargement  of  our  mission  premises,  as 
confined  air  is  dangerous  to  the  health  and  life  of 
a  missionary." 

Still  the  help  did  not  come.  Mr.  Anderson's 
physician  at  length  declared  that  for  him  to  re- 
main any  longer  in  the  premises  in  their  con- 
gested condition,  would  not  only  be  highly  im- 
prudent, but  criminal.  A  house  in  the  suburbs 
was  accordingly  rented,  a  part  being  occupied  by 


258    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anderson  and  the  female  converts, 
and  the  other  part  by  Mr.  Johnson  and  the  young 
men  in  his  care.  This  change  was  beneficial  to 
all  and  prevented  Mr.  Anderson  from  altogether 
breaking  down.  In  the  meantime,  ladies  in  Scot- 
land interested  in  the  work  in  Madras  raised  the 
sum  of  iioo  for  enlarging  the  mission  premises, 
and  friends  in  India  contributed  £300  for  the 
same  purpose. 

The  first  day  of  1849  was  marked  by  many 
tokens  of  the  Lord's  goodness.  Among  these 
was  a  gift  of  1,000  rupees  sent  as  a  thank-offer- 
ing to  the  mission  by  one  who  had  received 
spiritual  benefit  from  the  ministrations  of  the  two 
senior  missionaries.  On  the  evening  of  the  first 
Sabbath  of  this  new  year  three  native  women, 
who  had  for  some  time  been  under  instruction, 
received  the  ordinance  of  baptism.  The  new 
year  brought  its  trials  as  well  as  its  joys.  The 
health  of  Mr.  Anderson  continued  to  decline,  and 
early  in  February  the  three  missionaries  waited 
on  a  physician  of  experience,  for  medical  advice. 
Looking  in  turn  at  each  of  the  worn  toilers,  the 
physician  declared  that  while  all  needed  a  change, 
for  Mr.  Anderson  this  was  imperative.  It  was 
accordingly  arranged  that  he  should  leave  India 
by  the  first  steamer  in  April.  In  order  that  the 
work  might  suffer  little  as  possible,  Mrs.  Ander- 
son decided  to  remain  behind  to  care  for  the 
female  converts,  and  the  girls  in  the  boarding- 


John  Anderson  259 

school,  while  Rajahgopaul,  one  of  the  first  con- 
verts, should  accompany  Mr.  Anderson. 

Before  his  departure  a  deputation  of  the  teach- 
ers, converts  and  pupils  of  the  institution  and 
branch  schools  waited  upon  him  and  presented 
him  with  an  address  and  a  sum  of  nearly  1,000 
rupees  raised  chiefly  among  themselves  to  pro- 
cure his  portrait  for  the  Hall  of  the  institution. 
Very  early  on  the  morning  of  the  15th  of  April 
Dr.  Duff  arrived  from  Calcutta,  and  never  was 
friend  more  cordially  welcomed.  At  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  Mr.  Anderson 
left  Madras  for  Scotland,  and  the  presence  of  Dr. 
Duff  at  this  time  imparted  courage  and  comfort 
to  all. 

Edinburgh  was  reached  on  the  2nd  of  June, 
and  both  the  missionary  and  his  companion  were 
most  hospitably  received.  "  Tell  Mrs.  Anderson," 
wrote  Rajahgopaul,  '*  that  Dr.  Foulis  and  Lady 
Foulis  are  watching  over  Mr.  Anderson  as  if  he 
were  their  own  son." 

In  India,  Mr.  Johnson  toiled  on  with  uncom- 
plaining fortitude,  though  his  physical  strength 
continued  to  wane,  while  the  work  at  the  same 
time  increased  in  magnitude  and  responsibility. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Anderson  had  sufficiently  re- 
covered to  be  able  to  present  the  cause  of  mis- 
sions, he  told  the  people  of  his  church  for  their 
encouragement  what  were  some  of  the  visible 
results  of  the  labours  of  the  missionaries  they 


!26o    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

had  sent  to  Madras:  fifty  superior  teachers  had 
been  trained  for  the  work,  7,000  Hindus  and  a 
large  number  of  Mohammedans  had  been  in- 
structed in  the  truths  of  the  Bible,  and  1,000  girls 
had  been  gathered  into  their  schools.  There  had 
been  thirty-six  converts  from  heathenism,  and 
from  among  these,  three  had  been  licensed  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  while  five  other  students  were 
pursuing  their  studies  with  the  Christian  ministry 
in  view.  While  devoting  their  strength  primarily 
to  the  people  of  the  land,  they  had,  as  opportunity 
offered,  preached  the  Gospel  to  their  own  country- 
men, and  over  one  hundred  of  these  had  borne 
testimony  to  the  fact  that  the  missionaries  were 
the  instruments  used  by  God  in  bringing  them  to 
the  Saviour.  The  prompt  liberality  with  which 
the  people  in  India  had  responded  to  the  appeals 
made  on  behalf  of  the  mission  was  also  cause  for 
encouragement.  To  carry  on  the  work  in  Madras 
since  the  Disruption,  £1,200  had  been  contributed 
in  India,  and  for  the  purchase  of  premises  for 
the  mission  British  residents  in  India  had  given 
i3,ooo. 

Mr.  Anderson's  labours  in  Scotland  contributed 
greatly  toward  deepening  interest  in  the  work  in 
India,  while  Rajahgopaul  everywhere  made  a 
favourable  impression  by  his  gentleness,  his  hu- 
mility and  his  manly  Christian  bearing. 

On  December  i,  1850,  the  vessel  bearing 
back  to  India  Mr.  Anderson  and  his  faithful  com- 
panion, and  bringing  for  the  first  time  Miss  Eliza 


John  Anderson  261 

Lecher,  Mrs.  Anderson's  sister,  for  work  among 
the  women,  arrived  at  Madras.  In  the  midst  of  a 
raging  surf  and  a  drenching  rain  the  party 
reached  the  shore.  The  voice  of  joy  and  thanks- 
giving was  everywhere  heard,  but  with  this  was 
mingled  a  note  of  sadness,  caused  by  the  seriously 
impaired  health  of  Mr.  Johnson. 

"  My  son  Rajah  and  myself  have  arrived  at  a 
critical  time,"  wrote  Mr.  Anderson.  "  Mr.  John- 
son is  quite  broken  down  and  laid  aside,  and  Mr. 
Braidwood's  health  is  giving  way,  while  the  work 
has  gone  on  increasing."  Three  months  after  the 
arrival  of  Mr.  Anderson,  Mr.  Johnson  who  had 
toiled  without  intermission  for  over  twelve  years, 
left  for  England,  being  carried  in  a  state  of  ex- 
treme feebleness  on  board  the  steamer  **  Devon- 
shire." He  was  a  man  greatly  beloved,  and  his 
departure  under  circumstances  so  afflictive  caused 
much  sorrow.  There  was  no  time  for  a  farewell 
address,  but  his  pupils,  present  and  former,  col- 
lected a  sum  for  his  portrait  for  the  Institution. 

Another  blow  was  about  to  fall  on  the  mission. 
On  the  night  of  the  5th  of  April  Miss  Locher 
was  taken  seriously  ill  and  on  the  morning  of  the 
7th  she  passed  away.  During  the  short  time  in 
which  she  had  been  a  member  of  the  mission 
family  she  had  won  the  esteem  and  the  love  of  all. 

Mr.  Johnson  reached  England  early  in  June, 
and  not  long  after  his  arrival  he  was  received 
into  the  hospitable  home  of  Dr.  and  Lady  Foulis, 
where  everything  possible  was  done  for  his  com- 


262    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

fort  and  his  restoration  to  health.  News  received 
from  India  from  time  to  time  interested  him 
deeply.  On  the  26th  of  November,  the  three  first 
converts  were  ordained  to  the  Gospel  ministry 
in  the  presence  of  a  large  company  of  Christians, 
Hindus  and  Mohammedans.  There  was  an  im- 
mense throng  of  spectators  at  the  fifteenth  annual 
examination  of  the  institution  and  the  branch 
schools.  The  whole  number  under  instruction  at 
this  time  was  2,245,  ^"d  the  one  hundred  and 
twenty  teachers  employed  had  all  been  trained  by 
the  mission. 

The  work  was  steadily  growing,  but  the  lack  of 
labourers  was  depressing.  Mr.  Braidwood  with 
his  family  left  Madras  for  Scotland  early  in  1852, 
ordered  thence  by  his  physicians,  and  Mr.  Ander- 
son was  left  with  no  European  colleague.  The 
church  at  home  had  not  anticipated  such  a  crisis, 
and  an  earnest  effort  was  made  to  secure  both 
men  and  money.  Mr.  Johnson  in  a  letter  to  the 
young  men  who  had  been  ordained  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  charged  them  to  do  all  in  their 
power  to  relieve  Mr.  Anderson,  their  spiritual 
father. 

Two  missionaries  sent  out  by  the  Church  of 
Scotland  for  work  in  Madras,  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Blyth  and  Campbell,  arrived  near  the  end  of  No- 
vember, 1852,  and  their  coming  brought  hope  and 
comfort  to  the  care-burdened  father  of  the  mis- 
sion ;  but  Mr.  Johnson,  though  receiving  the  most 
skilful  medical  attention  and  the  most  tender  care, 


John  Anderson  26^ 

continued  to  fail  and  on  the  22nd  of  March,  1853, 
he  passed  away.  To  Mr.  Anderson  the  blow  was 
a  very  heavy  one.  When  no  longer  able  to  en- 
tertain any  hope  of  the  recovery  of  his  "  true 
yoke-fellow,"  he  had  prayed  daily  that  he  might 
be  prepared  for  the  tidings  of  his  translation. 

"  1  am  fading,"  wrote  Mr.  Anderson  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  June  following  the  death  of  Mr. 
Johnson,  and  he  longed  for  the  return  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Braidwood,  as  the  newly  arrived  mis- 
sionaries could  not  be  charged  with  heavy  re- 
sponsibilities. In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Braidwood,  he 
said :  "  Your  letter  telling  me  that  the  state  of 
your  health  would  detain  you  sometime  longer  in 
Scotland,  gives  me,  and  I  may  add  to  the  mission 
also,  a  sharp  and  heavy  blow,  and  sore  discourage- 
ment. The  cares  of  the  mission  are  doubled  since 
you  left.  My  strength  is  failing,  but  I  will  not 
leave  the  helm  unless  forced  from  it." 

After  the  public  examination  of  the  students  of 
the  Institution  in  Madras,  in  the  cold  season  of 
1855,  Mr.  Anderson  set  out,  accompanied  by  sev- 
eral of  his  faithful  helpers  to  visit  the  branch 
schools.  This  was  the  last  tour  he  ever  made. 
At  the  anniversary  of  the  Bible  Society,  held  after 
his  return  to  Madras  from  this  visitation,  he 
made  his  last  public  address,  commending  the 
word  of  God  with  a  fervour  and  power  that 
touched  the  hearts  of  his  auditors.  Two  days 
later  he  v/as  taken  ill.  but  insisted  upon  being 
present  at  the  evening  service  on  the   Sabbath 


264    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

when  the  Rev.  Rajahgopaul  preached  and  ad- 
ministered the  rite  of  baptism  to  seven  persons. 
This  was  the  last  time  he  appeared  in  the  Lord's 
house. 

Dr.  Lorrimer,  one  of  the  physicians  in  attend- 
ance, conveyed  to  the  friends  in  Scotland  the 
tidings  of  his  serious  illness,  and  a  fortnight  later 
a  letter  from  the  same  hand  carried  the  sorrowful 
tidings  that  the  sickness  had  been  unto  death. 

When  convinced  that  recovery  was  hopeless  the 
physician  felt  it  his  duty  to  acquaint  the  sufferer 
with  his  condition.  Mr.  Anderson's  reply  was, 
"  The  Lord's  will  be  done :  If  to  live  longer  and 
work  for  Christ,  I  am  wilHng;  if  not.  His  holy 
will  be  done." 

Messages  of  love  were  sent  by  the  dying  mis- 
sionary to  all  his  children  in  the  faith,  charging 
them  to  be  faithful.  When  the  end  was  near, 
John  Newton's  hymn,  "  How  sweet  the  name  of 
Jesus  sounds,"  was  sung,  and  the  dying  saint 
joined  his  feeble  voice  with  the  voices  of  the 
watchers  beside  his  couch.  He  fell  asleep  in  Jesus 
on  Sabbath  morning  the  25th  of  March,  1855. 
His  mortal  remains  were  laid  to  rest  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  same  day.  Never  before  in  Madras 
had  so  vast  a  concourse  of  people  assembled  on  a 
funeral  occasion. 

"  I  have  never  before  witnessed  such  a  death 
as  his,"  said  one  of  the  physicians  in  attendance: 
Said  another,  "  His  constitution  should  have 
borne  other  twenty  years  of  labour,   but  he  was 


John  Anderson  265 

broken  with  the  weight  of  heavy  responsibilities 
and  exhausting  toil  without  respite,  while  practis- 
ing the  most  rigid  self-denial,  that  in  every  way 
the  work  might  be  advanced." 

The  Rev.  Stephen  Hislop  of  the  Free  Church 
Mission,  Nagpur  Central  Provinces,  said  of  the 
work  and  the  workers  of  the  Free  Church  Mis- 
sion in  Madras :  "  No  other  mission  in  Madras 
was  so  much  blessed  as  that  for  which  John  An- 
derson and  Robert  Johnson  sacrificed  their  lives 
and  Braidwood  shattered  his  constitution." 

To  perpetuate  the  memory  of  Mr.  Anderson  a 
fine  hall  was  built  in  Madras,  bearing  his  name ; 
but  his  truest  memorial  is  found  in  the  multitudes 
of  those  who,  from  his  lips  learned  of  a  Saviour, 
and  through  his  labours  were  led  to  **  turn  from 
idols  to  serve  the  living  God." 


XI 

ROBERT  T.  NOBLE 
1841-1865 

In  the  middle  of  the  last  century  an  annual 
gathering  for  athletic  sports  was  held  on  the 
borders  of  the  three  northern  counties  of  England 
— Cumberland,  Westmoreland  and  Lancaster. 
Among  the  deeply  interested  spectators  at  one  of 
these  contests  was  John  Noble,  a  student  of  St. 
Bees  from  County  Cumberland.  With  him  were 
several  of  his  fellow-students  and  the  second 
master  of  the  school. 

To  the  spectators  it  soon  became  evident  that 
the  Cumberland  contestants  were  not  likely  to 
win.  Unwilling  that  the  victory  should  be 
wrested  from  them,  a  party  from  Cumberland 
urged  John  Noble  to  enter  the  arena  and  secure 
for  them  the  victory.  It  was  contrary  to  the  rules 
of  the  school  for  the  students  to  take  part  in 
these  exhibitions,  but  urged  by  his  companions 
and  encouraged  by  the  second  master,  John  Noble 
yielded  and  carried  off  the  prize.  This  brief  tri- 
umph had  for  the  young  student  unexpected  con- 
sequences. He  was  expelled  from  the  college  and 
266 


Robert  T.  Noble  267 

only  permitted  to  return  a  year  later  by  making 
a  solemn  promise  never  again  to  violate  the  known 
rules  of  the  school. 

His  parents  too  were  highly  displeased,  and  in 
consequence  young  Noble  decided  to  leave  home 
for  a  time  and  seek  employment  as  a  teacher. 
While  thus  engaged  he  lived  with  a  farmer,  a 
pious  Quaker,  who  not  only  formed  a  warm 
friendship  for  the  young  man,  but  also  felt  the 
deepest  interest  in  his  spiritual  welfare. 

Learning  that  Mr.  Noble's  parents  expected 
him  on  the  completion  of  his  studies  to  enter  upon 
the  work  of  the  ministry,  his  new  friend  frankly 
told  him  that  if  he  would  become  a  true  and 
efficient  minister  of  the  Gospel,  he  must  himself 
be  made  a  partaker  of  Divine  grace.  The  teach- 
ing of  this  faithful  friend  was  blessed,  and  John 
Noble  became  indeed  a  new  creature,  with  a  new 
and  holy  purpose  in  life.  When  his  years  of 
preparation  were  over,  and  he  entered  upon  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  he  proved  a  faithful  shep- 
herd, watching  unceasingly  for  souls. 

It  was  perhaps  a  happy  circumstance  that  the 
wife  of  his  choice  was  in  many  respects  the  re- 
verse of  her  husband.  She  was  an  earnest  Chris- 
tian, full  of  energy  and  versatility  and  looked  well 
to  the  ways  of  her  household.  Persevering  and 
undaunted  by  adverse  circumstances,  she  made 
the  modest  stipend  received  by  her  husband  do 
wonders. 

Such  were  the  parents  of  Robert  Turlington 


26S    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Noble,  who  was  born  early  in  the  year  1809.  He 
was  the  fourth  and  youngest  son.  Two  sisters 
blessed  this  home.  It  was  the  desire  of  the  mother 
that  her  children  should  receive  the  best  possible 
educational  advantages.  She  urged  them  forward 
in  the  race  of  honour,  averring  that  religion 
taught  those  who  embraced  it  to  excel  in  every- 
thing. In  her  laudable  efforts  on  behalf  of  her 
sons  the  mother  was  ably  seconded  by  the  elder 
daughter,  who,  as  soon  as  prepared  for  such  a 
work,  opened  a  school  in  her  father's  house 
which  proved  so  successful  financially  that  she 
aided  in  sending  two  of  her  brothers  to  the  uni- 
versity. 

To  this  sister  Robert  gratefully  acknowledged 
that  he  owed  in  a  large  measure  the  preparation 
he  received  for  his  usefulness  in  Hfe.  After  he 
had  chosen  the  life  of  a  missionary,  this  sister, 
with  the  cordial  co-operation  of  her  husband,  for 
twenty-four  years  helped  her  brother  in  his  work 
with  a  liberality  both  constant  and  generous. 

To  his  second  sister  Anne,  Mr.  Noble  was  not 
less  deeply  indebted,  though  her  life  was  cut 
short  in  her  early  womanhood.  Anne  Noble  was 
married  in  1822,  at  the  age  of  nineteen  to  the 
Rev.  H.  Palmer  and  with  him  went  to  Sierra 
Leone  to  labour  among  the  "  poor  Africans." 
Robert  was  at  the  time  of  his  sister's  marriage 
in  school  at  Oakham.  Passing  through  this  town 
on  her  journey  to  her  distant  field  of  labour,  Mrs. 
Palmer  felt  that  she  must  once  more  look  upon 


Robert  T.  Noble  269 

the  face  of  her  brother.  The  coach  in  which  she 
and  her  husband  were  travelling  reached  Oak- 
ham at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning  and  only  a 
few  moments  could  be  spared  for  the  interview. 
Obtaining  permission  to  enter  her  brother's  room, 
she  urged  him  in  most  affectionate  terms  to  de- 
cide at  once  to  accept  Christ.  She  won  from 
him  a  promise  to  read  his  Bible  daily,  and  ex- 
pressed a  hope  that  he  might  one  day  follow  her 
into  the  mission  field.  This  was  a  turning-point 
in  his  life,  and  the  words  so  impressively  spoken 
by  this  beloved  sister  received  added  weight  and 
sacredness  from  the  melancholy  tidings  which  so 
soon  followed  the  departure  of  these  consecrated 
workers.  They  reached  their  destination  in 
March,  1823,  and  shortly  after  their  arrival  Mr. 
Palmer  was  stricken  with  African  fever  to  which 
he  succumbed  on  the  8th  of  May,  and  on  the 
first  of  June  Mrs.  Palmer  followed  him  to  the 
grave. 

"  May  I  be  prepared  to  follow  in  the  footsteps 
of  this  beloved  sister,"  was  the  prayer  of  Robert 
Noble  from  this  time.  He  remained  five  years 
in  the  grammar-school  at  Oakham,  and  was  most 
industrious  as  a  student,  yet  he  was  fond  of 
cricket,  football  and  all  manly  and  athletic  games. 
Among  the  students,  he  was  noted  for  his  critical 
knowledge  of  the  Greek  text  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. When  asked  by  what  means  he  had  at- 
tained such  proficiency,  he  replied  that  he  not 
only   read  his   Greek  Testament   regularly,   but 


ayo    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

that  a  part  of  each  Sabbath  was  usually  spent  in 
translating  portions  of  the  English  version  into 
Greek. 

Mr.  Noble  was  advised  by  his  friends  to  enter 
Sidney  Sussex  College,  Cambridge,  where  it  was 
believed  that  he  would  have  a  comparatively  easy 
task  in  winning  the  college  prizes  and  obtaining 
a  fellowship.  The  young  student  girded  himself 
for  the  race  with  all  the  enthusiasm  and  self- 
denial  which  had  marked  his  school  career.  On 
account  of  his  incessant  application  and  the 
neglect  of  the  physical  exercise  to  which  he  had 
been  accustomed,  his  health  altogether  gave  way 
during  his  last  term.  Just  as  worldly  honour 
seemed  within  his  grasp,  he  left  the  university  in 
a  state  of  utter  prostration  both  of  mind  and  body. 
His  private  tutor  had  expressed  the  opinion  that 
he  would  not  be  lower  than  third  in  the  classical 
tripos.  The  disappointment  was  borne  with  true 
Christian  fortitude. 

It  was  only  at  the  end  of  two  years  that  Mr. 
Noble  was  so  far  recovered  as  to  be  again  capable 
of  such  mental  and  physical  activity  as  had  for- 
merly characterised  him.  In  the  course  of  his 
reading  during  this  time  of  enforced  inaction  he 
had  noted  the  fact  that  some  good  men  both  in  the 
early  days  of  Christianity  as  well  as  in  more  re- 
cent times  had  held  the  opinion  that  as  our  Lord 
and  John  the  Baptist  did  not  enter  upon  their 
public  ministry  until  thirty  years  of  age,  an  ex- 
ample had  been  left  that  might  wisely  be  followed. 


Robert  T.  Noble  271 

His  exalted  ideas  of  the  duties  and  the  difficul- 
ties of  the  calHng  of  an  ambassador  for  Christ, 
together  with  a  deep  sense  of  his  own  unworthi- 
ness,  led  him  to  feel  that  he  required  a  degree  of 
preparation  which  he  could  not  attain  before  he 
had  reached  his  thirtieth  year. 

He  accordingly  began  with  zeal  a  course  of 
reading  and  study  having  special  reference  to  the 
work  upon  which  in  due  time  he  hoped  to  enter. 
His  eldest  brother  had  chosen  the  medical  pro- 
fession and  Robert  spent  several  months  under 
his  tuition  in  order  to  learn  the  use  of  drugs  for 
cases  of  ordinary  sickness  that  he  might  be  more 
useful  as  a  missionary. 

In  the  year  1833  he  was  providentially  guided 
into  the  family  of  a  Christian  Baronet,  Sir  T. 
Bloomfield  of  Brighton,  under  whose  roof  as  pri- 
vate tutor  to  his  sons,  for  six  years  he  enjoyed  a 
friendship  and  society  entirely  congenial.  Of  his 
life  at  this  time  he  said  in  a  letter  to  a  friend 
"  No  Fellow  of  any  College  is  half  so  well  off  as 
1 — in  the  healthiest  climate  in  all  England  and 
in  the  midst  of  outward  advantages  which  neither 
Oxford  nor  Cambridge  could  afford.  Who  ever 
had  such  dear,  such  constant,  such  pious  and  in- 
structive friends?  "  It  was  during  the  latter  part 
of  his  residence  at  Brighton  that  the  neglected 
state,  as  regards  Christian  education  and  enlight- 
enment, of  the  population  of  the  foreign  country 
in  South  India  was  brought  to  his  notice.  But 
his  time  to  enter  upon  the  work  of  a  missionary 


27'^    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

abroad,  he  felt  had  not  yet  come.  His  father  was 
in  his  eightieth  year,  and  was  in  a  state  of  ex- 
treme bodily  weakness ;  and  implored  Robert,  the 
Benjamin  of  his  household,  not  to  leave  him. 

It  was  accordingly  decided  that  Mr.  Noble 
should  take  a  curacy  at  home  for  a  time,  and  a 
field  of  labour  was  found  within  a  few  miles  of 
the  home  of  his  parents.  The  young  curate 
threw  his  whole  soul  into  his  new  duties.  After 
having  made  the  acquaintance  and  won  the  re- 
spect and  affection  of  some  of  the  people  of  his 
parish  who  lived  three  miles  from  the  church, 
he  began  a  Sabbath  evening  service  in  one  of  the 
farm  houses  in  that  neighbourhood. 

The  room  was  soon  crowded  and  many  were 
obliged  to  stand.  The  result  of  this  small  begin- 
ning was  that  a  few  years  later  there  was  in  this 
isolated  neighbourhood  a  neat  chapel  and  an  at- 
tentive congregation  with  a  stated  minister.  An 
interest  in  mission  work  had  also  been  awakened 
and  the  people  though  poor,  contributed  in  sup- 
port of  this  cause  more  than  £20  a  year.  Mr. 
Noble  entered  upon  his  duties  as  curate  of  Old 
Dalby,  in  the  autumn  of  1839 ;  and  his  aged  father 
passed  away  in  August  of  the  following  year. 

He  received  ordination  as  a  clergyman  of  the 
Church  of  England  soon  after  the  death  of  his 
father,  and  early  in  1841  took  his  final  leave  of 
his  native  land. 

After  he  had  fully  decided  to  go  to  India  as 
a  missionary,  should  the  Lord  open  the  way,  the 


Robert  T.  Noble  273 

question  whether  he  should  go  out  unmarried 
was  presented  to  his  mind.  He  resolved  to  con- 
sult the  Rev.  Charles  Simeon  of  Cambridge  on 
this  subject.  He  had  not  married,  and  Mr.  Noble 
ventured  to  ask  him  if  he  regretted  his  decision. 
''  As  a  Fellow  of  King's  College,"  said  Mr. 
Simeon,  "  my  Divine  Master  has  made  me  useful 
in  the  university  to  an  extent  I  miglit  not  per- 
haps have  attained  in  any  other  position.  Had  I 
married  I  must  have  resigned  my  Fellowship  and 
with  it  probably  my  usefulness.  I  remained  there- 
fore unmarried  for  the  sake  of  my  Lord's  work. 
I  have  felt  it  a  great  sacrifice,  but  I  have  never 
regretted  it." 

The  Rev.  T.  Jones  of  Creaton  was  an  aged 
bachelor  for  whom  Mr.  Noble  entertained  feel- 
ings of  profound  respect  and  he  resolved  to  ask 
him  how  now  he  regarded  the  decision  made  in 
his  younger  days.  His  reply  was  not  anticipated. 
f"lt  is  true  I  never  married,  from  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances, but  1  say  that  the  man  who  can  get 
a  good  wife  and  does  not  avail  himself  of  the 
privilege  is  a  most  unwise  man/l,i  Mr.  Noble, 
however,  decided  to  go  out  to  India  unmarried 
and  he  never  regretted  it. 

The  Rev.  W.  H.  Fox,  a  man  of  consecrated 
spirit  and  in  every  respect  congenial  as  a  com- 
panion, had  been  appointed  by  the  Church  Mis- 
sionary Society  to  accompany  Mr.  Noble  to  In- 
dia. The  field  to  which  they  had  been  assigned 
v/as  the  Telugu  country.    The  region  thus  desig- 


ii74    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

nated  stretched  along  the  eastern  side  of  the 
Madras  Presidency  for  nearly  seven  hundred  miles 
and  contained  twelve  millions  of  people. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  1841,  in  the  ship  "  Ro- 
barts,"  bound  for  Madras,  in  company  with  the 
Rev.  W.  H.  and  Mrs.  Fox,  Mr.  Noble  left  Eng- 
land. During  the  voyage  of  four  months  the 
missionaries  were  treated  with  the  greatest  kind- 
ness and  consideration  by  the  captain  and  officers 
of  the  ship,  who  gave  them  every  facility  for  hold- 
ing religious  services  both  among  the  passengers 
and  the  crew.  They  reached  their  destination  on 
July  4th  and  received  from  the  Madras  mission- 
aries a  most  cordial  reception. 

Mr.  Noble  remained  in  Madras  two  months 
and  during  this  time  learned  much  which  he 
felt  would  be  helpful  to  him  in  inaugurating 
work  in  Masulipatam.  His  first  work  he  rightly 
judged  would  be  the  learning  of  the  language, 
and  immediately  on  his  arrival  in  Madras  he  en- 
gaged a  competent  teacher  and  began  the  study  of 
the  Telugu  language.  He  reached  his  new  field 
of  labour  near  the  end  of  October.  Masulipatam, 
the  chief  city  of  the  District,  had  at  that  time  a 
population  of  50,000  or  60,000.  The  town  is 
situated  about  two  miles  from  the  sea-coast,  and 
there  being  no  harbour,  ships  stood  out  in  the 
open  roadstead  as  now,  communication  being  car- 
ried on  with  the  shore  by  boats.  The  country  is 
a  dead  level  for  many  miles  and  the  soil  soft  and 
sandy. 


Robert  T.  Noble  275 

The  country  had  for  more  than  two  generations 
been  under  the  EngHsh  Government,  but  up  to 
that  time  Httle  had  been  done  for  the  spiritual  or 
intellectual  uplifting  of  these  millions.  Godly 
men  both  in  the  civil  and  military  service  in  India 
had  begun  to  feel  in  some  degree  their  individual 
responsibility  for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  these 
unevangelised  multitudes  and  a  fund  of  nearly 
£2,000  had  been  subscribed  to  support  an  educa- 
tional institution  in  Masulipatam,  and  every  en- 
couragement was  offered  to  anyone  duly  qualified 
who  would  undertake  so  important  and  promising 
a  mission.  These  friends  had  appealed  to  the 
Committee  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  to 
take  charge  of  this  field ;  but  the  Committee  hav- 
ing regard  to  the  deficiency  both  in  men  and  means 
at  that  time  existing  and  shall  we  say  with  too 
little  faith  in  the  Divine  power  to  supply  those 
needs,  felt  constrained  to  decline  to  enter  upon 
the  proposed  field.  But  Christian  friends  deeply 
interested  in  the  movement  determined  to  go  for- 
ward. Mr.  Noble  was  asked  to  take  the  presi- 
dency of  the  proposed  Institution  in  Masulipa- 
tam with  a  salary  of  iSoo  per  annum.  The  propo- 
sition was  favourably  received.  Just  at  this  time 
the  Rev.  John  Tucker  returned  from  India  where 
he  had  been  labouring  as  a  missionary,  and  with 
great  earnestness  urged  the  Committee  to  recon- 
sider their  former  decision  and  assume  the  re- 
sponsibility of  the  new  mission.  The  financial 
outlook  had  brightened  and  the  Committee  re- 


276    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

sponded  favourably.  Mr.  Noble  and  Mr.  Fox 
were  then  invited  to  transfer  their  services  to  the 
Church  Missionary  Society.  To  this  they  readily 
consented,  though  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Noble  this 
meant  a  very  material  decrease  of  salary. 

Among  the  officers  of  the  English  garrison  Mr. 
Noble  was  delighted  to  find  some  earnest  Chris- 
tians and  the  small  European  community,  both 
civil  and  military  manifested  their  interest  in  the 
mission  about  to  be  established,  by  contributing 
toward  its  support  £22.  monthly.  The  missionaries 
did  not  suffer  themselves  to  be  drawn  into  much 
work  among  the  English  population,  feeling  that 
their  special  mission  was  to  the  people  of  the 
land,  and  their  first  duty  to  prepare  themselves 
for  their  appointed  work,  but  an  informal  meet- 
ing for  prayer  and  study  of  the  Scriptures  was 
held  on  Friday  evening  of  each  week.  The  larger 
part  of  each  day  was  spent  in  the  study  of  the 
language.  The  heat  of  the  summer  they  found 
peculiarly  trying.  Of  his  experience  in  this  re- 
^^pect,  Mr.  Noble  wrote  to  one  of  his  brothers: 
'  "  It  is  like  the  heat  around  the  mouths  of  the 
glass  furnaces  at  Burslem.  It  is  like  creeping 
flames.  The  mind  grows  dull.  The  body  all  en- 
feebled seems  to  be  a  dead  weight  on  the  mind; 
the  spirit  droops;  prayer,  how  hard!  exertion, 
how  wearying !  " 

The  health  of  Mr.  Fox  gave  way,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  retreat  to  the  Neilgherry  mountains 
where  the  climate  was  cool  and  bracing.     Fear- 


Robert  T.  Noble  277 

ing  the  enervating  effect  of  the  climate  and  the 
consequent  indisposition  to  mental  exertion,  as  a 
stimulus  to  diligence  the  missionaries  had  asked 
for  themselves  a  public  examination  by  the 
Madras  Committee,  and  on  the  first  of  July,  1843, 
two  years  after  their  arrival,  Mr.  Noble  began  the 
journey  to  Madras,  a  distance  of  322  miles  on 
horseback.  Mr.  Fox  was  unable  to  take  the 
journey  because  of  continued  ill  health.  The  ex- 
amination to  which  Mr.  Noble  had  so  long  looked 
forward,  took  place  soon  after  his  arrival  in  Ma- 
dras, and  the  result  filled  him  with  profound 
gratitude.  He  was  pronounced  an  excellent 
Telugu  scholar  and  well  qualified  to  begin  mis- 
sionary work. 

To  assist  him  in  his  labours,  Mr.  Noble  secured 
while  in  Madras  the  services  of  Mr.  Sharkey  who 
had  been  brought  up  in  the  country  and  who  was 
an  earnest  Christian  and  a  fine  Telugu  scholar. 
On  his  return  to  Masulipatam  Mr.  Noble  gave 
public  notice  that  he  expected  to  open  a  school 
for  the  education  of  the  upper  classes,  and  un- 
folded the  plan  to  be  pursued.  Christianity  would 
be  taught,  but  no  sinister  arts  would  be  employed 
to  induce  the  students  to  embrace  it. 

The  school  was  opened  on  the  21st  of  Novem- 
ber. Writing  to  a  friend  on  the  previous  day, 
he  said,  "  To-morrow  morning  we  begin  to  drop 
into  the  ground  the  little  mustard  seed."  How 
his  heart  would  have  rejoiced  could  his  eye  have 
penetrated  the  future  and  could  he  have  seen  into 


2jS    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

how  great  and  beautiful  a  tree  this  seed  planted 
in  faith  and  prayer  was  destined  to  grow  !  When 
the  day  so  long  anticipated  arrived,  two  pupils 
only  presented  themselves,  but  the  missionary  was 
not  discouraged.  The  school  soon  grew  in 
favour.  Many  of  the  students  were  twenty  years 
of  age,  and  a  few  were  thirty.  "  They  are  very 
inquisitive  and  full  of  objections,"  wrote  Mr. 
Noble.  "  I  see  now,"  he  wrote  in  another  letter, 
"  why  I  was  led  to  read  my  Bible  so  much  in 
England.  My  class  appears  quite  to  enjoy  their 
Scripture  lesson  which  they  commit  to  memory. 
We  have  a  great  many  Brahmins  and  they  are 
very  diligent.  I  avoid  assailing  their  religion, 
desiring  first  to  let  them  see  what  ours  is.  I 
have  fully  and  repeatedly  told  them,  however,  my 
object,  vis.:  to  make  known  our  religion  to  them 
as  the  only  plan  of  salvation." 

After  Mr.  Noble  had  so  successfully  passed  his 
first  examination,  he  wrote  to  one  of  his  home 
friends,  "  We  hope  at  the  end  of  two  years  more 
to  pass  a  further  examination  in  Sanskrit  and 
Telugu  and  in  our  acquaintance  with  the  religion 
of  the  people.  Thus  you  see  we  have  no  leisure 
now,  nor  any  in  prospect,  till  we  reach  the  rest 
above." 

How  full  were  the  days  of  this  earnest  mis- 
sionary we  learn  from  this  account  given  by  one 
who  was  for  many  years  associated  with  him: 
"  Mr.  Noble  generally  rose  at  four  o'clock  in  the 
morning,  partook  of  a  little  refreshment,  tea  and 


Robert  T.  Noble  1279 

toast  at  5  130 ;  commenced  school  at  6  o'clock,  or 
6 130,  according  to  the  season  of  the  year ;  re- 
turned home  at  10  o'clock,  or  10:30;  breakfasted 
at  1 1 ;  prayers  with  his  servants  at  11:30;  received 
native  visitors,  and  sometimes  Europeans,  from 
12  to  I  o'clock ;  dinner  at  i  or  i  :30 ;  school 
again  from  2  :30  to  6 :30,  making  eight  hours  a 
day  in  school  in  the  trying  climate  of  India ;  then 
a  constitutional  ride  or  walk  of  two  or  three 
miles,  or  instead,  paying  visits  in  the  town  to 
the  parents  or  friends  of  the  students  for  an  hour ; 
tea  at  7:30;  prayers  and  instruction  to  his  serv- 
ants or  converts  until  9 130.'* 

For  twenty-two  years  did  Mr.  Noble  labour 
thus  unceasingly.  His  work  was  varied  at  times, 
but  was  never  less  arduous.  Of  his  school  he 
said,  "  It  will,  I  hope,  prove  a  training  seminary 
for  school-masters,  catechists  and  ministers  of  the 
Gospel.  I  think  there  is  a  good  work  going  on 
among  the  sixty  boys  in  our  school,  and  some 
have  expressed  a  desire  for  baptism."  As  there 
was  no  reason  to  doubt  the  sincerity  of  the  youths 
who  had  expressed  a  desire  openly  to  acknowl- 
edge themselves  Christians,  the  rite  of  baptism 
was  administered.  The  parents  of  the  students 
in  attendance  on  the  school  took  alarm,  and  about 
half  of  the  pupils  were  removed.  This  was  a 
grief  to  the  teachers,  but  they  did  not  regret  the 
step  taken,  as  it  was  with  the  express  object  of 
trying  to  win  the  students  under  their  care  to 
accept  Christ  as  tlieir  Saviour,  that  the  school 


a8o    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

existed.  Some  of  the  students  returned  to  the 
school  when  the  excitement  had  in  a  measure 
abated  and  new  pupils  continued  to  present  them- 
selves. One  hour  daily  was  allotted  to  the  Scrip- 
ture lesson,  but  this  was  made  so  full  of  interest 
by  the  earnest  and  enthusiastic  missionary,  that 
not  infrequently,  at  the  request  of  the  pupils, 
more  than  two  hours  were  spent  on  the  lesson 
itself,  or  questions  suggested  by  it. 

When  Mr.  Noble  left  England  in  1841  he  re- 
joiced greatly  that  so  congenial  a  co-labourer  as 
Mr.  Fox  was  to  accompany  him  to  India.  But 
his  health  began  to  decline  soon  after  his  arrival. 
He  was  obliged  to  return  to  England,  and  in 
October,  1848,  he  was  removed  by  death, — a 
heavy  loss  to  the  mission  and  a  great  personal 
bereavement  to  Mr.  Noble. 

Mr.  Sharkey  who  had  proved  his  fitness  for 
mission  service  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the 
Gospel  ministry,  and  Mr.  Noble  found  him  a 
worthy  co-adjutor.  Mrs.  Sharkey  entered  heartily 
into  the  work  of  the  mission  and  made  herself 
greatly  useful  in  establishing  and  teaching  a 
school  for  girls.  A  boarding-school  under  Mrs. 
Sharkey's  superintendence  was  eventually  estab- 
lished. Of  work  among  the  sisters  of  the  stu- 
dents in  his  school  Mr.  Noble  wrote,  ''  We  sadly 
want  some  ladies  of  piety  and  education  from 
England  for  this  interesting  work."  To  his 
sister  he  said,  ''  You  tell  me  to  let  you  know 
before  you  send  another  box  what  I   want.     I 


Robert  T.  Noble  281 

want  Lettie  and  Ellen  (the  eldest  daughters  of 
the  families  of  his  brother  and  sister.")  What 
do  you  say  to  that?  We  have  nobody  to  speak 
of  Jesus  to  the  nice  young  Hindu  girls  who  grow 
up  in  the  midst  of  utter  ignorance  and  supersti- 
tion." 

In  the  beginning  of  1849  ^  school  for  the  chil- 
dren of  the  lower  castes  was  opened  and  this 
speedily  became  popular,  its  teachers  being  drawn 
from  the  parent  school.  The  High  School  con- 
tinued to  grow  in  favour  and  the  public  examin- 
ations were  honoured  by  the  presence  of  the  prin- 
cipal European  residents  of  the  station,  as  well  as 
by  a  large  number  of  influential  native  gentle- 
men. On  these  occasions,  the  Scripture  examina- 
tions always  proved  an  interesting  feature. 

Converts  having  increased,  a  church  was  or- 
ganized in  Masulipatam  and  an  encouraging 
evangelistic  work  was  begun  in  the  surrounding 
villages.  In  July,  1852,  two  high  caste  youths 
nineteen  years  of  age,  from  the  High  School, 
where  for  five  years  they  had  been  under  instruc- 
tion, came  to  Mr.  Noble  declaring  their  earnest 
wish  to  be  enrolled  as  Christians.  They  had  for- 
saken the  idolatrous  faith  in  which  they  had 
been  reared.  Persecution  they  felt  assured  would 
follow  a  public  avowal  of  their  faith  in  Christ, 
and  they  craved  the  protection  of  the  missionary. 
The  baptism  of  these  two  young  men  caused 
great  excitement  throughout  the  city.  The  par- 
ents and  friends  tried  to  remove  them  by  force. 


282    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

The  matter  was  at  length  brought  before  the 
magistrate,  who  after  an  examination  gave  this 
decision :  ''  The  young  men  are  of  full  age,  are  in 
their  right  minds,  and  voluntary  agents.  They 
must  therefore  be  left  to  choose  not  only  their 
religious  faith  but  their  guardians."  Knowing 
well  that  with  their  friends  there  was  no  safety, 
the  young  men  placed  themselves  under  Mr. 
Noble's  care.  It  was  for  him  a  time  of  great 
anxiety,  and  fearing  violence,  for  nine  nights  his 
clothes  were  not  removed.  In  consequence  of 
these  baptisms  the  numbers  in  the  school  were 
reduced  to  thirteen.  The  two  young  men  con- 
tinued to  reside  with  Mr.  Noble  and  remained 
steadfast.  Both  became  ordained  ministers  of 
the  Gospel  and  were  faithful  and  diligent  in  the 
discharge  of  their  duties. 

In  March,  1855,  two  intelligent  young  Brah- 
mins and  a  young  Mohammedan,  students  from 
the  High  School,  received  Christian  baptism. 
There  was  at  this  time  less  general  excitement 
than  on  the  occasion  previousl}^  mentioned,  but 
there  was  not  less  mourning  on  the  part  of  the 
relatives.  The  grief  of  the  aged  mother  of  one 
of  the  converts  was  touching  in  the  extreme,  and 
no  less  so,  the  sorrow  of  the  father  bowed  down 
with  the  weight  of  more  than  eighty  years.  *'  I 
felt  ill  for  several  hours  after  the  interview  of 
the  young  man  with  his  parents,"  wrote  Mr. 
Noble.  Three  more  were  by  these  baptisms  added 
to  the  household  of  the  missionary,  as  their  rela- 


Robert  T.  Noble  283 

tives  refused  to  receive  them.  One  of  these  three 
converts  became  a  distinguished  scholar  and  as- 
sisted Mr.  Noble  in  the  High  School. 

When  the  mission  had  been  strengthened  by 
two  European  missionaries  from  home,  Mr. 
Noble's  friends  urged  his  return  to  his  native  land 
for  a  season,  but  to  all  such  appeals  he  returned 
the  same  answer — he  would  remain  at  his  post 
until  he  could  see  the  mission  and  schools  well 
supplied  with  educated  teachers  of  humble,  earn- 
est piety,  then  he  would  come  home,  or  die  in 
India,  whichever  the  Lord  should  please. 

The  work  in  the  schools  of  Masulipatam  had  a 
good  report  in  all  the  region  round  about.  Sir 
Charles  Trevelyan,  when  Governor  of  Madras, 
in  a  minute  dated  October,  1859,  said,  *'  I  had 
not  been  on  shore  a  day  at  Masulipatam  before 
1  became  sensible  of  the  great  benefits  which  Mr. 
Noble,  the  manager  of  the  Church  Mission 
schools,  has  conferred  upon  the  Northern  Circars 
by  preparing  so  many  intelligent  and  well- 
educated  natives  for  the  public  service.  Masulip- 
atam bids  fair  to  become  to  the  Northern  Circars 
more  than  Oxford  and  Cambridge  have  been  to 
the  United  Kingdom."  In  an  address  before  the 
pupils  of  the  High  School,  the  Governor  con- 
gratulated the  students  on  the  advantages  they 
enjoyed  in  being  under  the  tuition  of  a  man  of 
such  character  and  attainments  as  Mr.  Noble 
whose  influence  on  the  rising  generation  he  began 
to  feel  as  soon  as  he  landed  at  Coconada. 


a84    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

While  labouring  for  the  spiritual  up-lifting  of 
the  higher  classes,  Mr.  Noble  desired  to  do  all  in 
his  power  to  lift  to  a  higher  plane,  socially, 
morally  and  spiritually,  the  depressed  classes. 
**  Our  young  Brahmins,"  he  wrote,  "  after  they 
have  embraced  Christianity  observe  no  caste,  and 
caste  is  not  observed  in  our  Christian  community." 

In  September,  i860,  two  young  Brahmins, 
among  the  most  intelligent  and  promising  pupils 
in  the  school,  renounced  Hinduism  and  embraced 
Christianity.  Two  others  joined  these  and  were 
baptised.  In  consequence  the  numbers  in  atten- 
dance on  the  High  School  were  greatly  reduced. 
Steadily  the  number  of  those  claiming  Mr.  Noble's 
care  and  protection  increased.  In  a  letter  to  one 
of  his  brothers,  he  said,  "  I  should  like  to  show 
you  my  sons.  Two  are  preparing  for  ordination 
in  February.  These  aid  in  our  schools.  Four 
more  are  diligent  students.  You  would  like  to 
have  taken  a  peep  at  us  on  Saturday  evening. 
They,  their  wives  and  their  children  all  take  their 
evening  meal  with  me.  One  of  our  first  converts 
has  had  lately  the  happiness  of  welcoming  his 
widowed  mother  and  his  uncle  into  the  fold  of 
the  Good  Shepherd." 

In  1863  Mr.  Noble  wrote  to  a  friend,  "  For 
twenty-two  years  I  have  longed  in  vain  to  see  a 
Zenana  Mission  commenced  for  the  sisters  and 
relatives  of  our  boys.  Perhaps  I  am  not  wrong 
in  saying  that  the  heart  of  Satan's  influence  and 
power  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Hindu  family." 


THE  PIONEERS 
William  Carey  Christian  F.  Schwartz 

Auguste  Francke 


Bartholomew  Ziegenbalg 


Robert  T.  Noble  285 

On  the  night  of  November  ist,  1864,  the  city 
of  MasuHpatam  and  the  adjacent  country  were 
visited  by  a  terrible  hurricane.  The  sea  rose  and 
swept  more  than  twelve  feet  deep  over  the  high- 
est springtide.  Between  35,000  and  40,000 
perished  during  the  awful  visitation,  and  cattle 
and  other  living  creatures  innumerable  were  de- 
stroyed. In  MasuHpatam  alone  15,000  people 
perished,  while  four-fifths  of  the  houses  in  the 
city  were  swept  away.  The  day  from  the  early 
morning  had  been  windy,  and  before  five  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  as  it  was  too  dark  to  continue 
the  lessons,  the  teachers  and  pupils  of  the  mission 
schools  returned  to  their  homes.  The  wind  con- 
tinued to  increase  in  violence  as  the  darkness 
deepened,  and  the  rain  descended  in  torrents. 
About  eleven  o'clock  at  night  the  terrible  truth 
was  forced  upon  the  terror-stricken  inhabitants 
that  the  sea  was  rushing  upon  them.  Mr.  Noble 
in  his  house,  surrounded  by  his  sons  in  the  faith 
and  their  families,  did  all  in  his  power  to  reassure 
them,  but  when  there  seemed  little  hope  that  they 
could  be  saved,  as  the  water  within  the  house 
rose  rapidly,  though  all  the  outer  doors  had  been 
secured  by  bolts  and  bars,  he  offered  a  short 
prayer,  shook  hands  with  all  and  calmly  awaited 
the  result.  After  midnight  the  water  began  to 
recede.  The  dawn  revealed  a  scene  of  almost 
unparalleled  desolation  not  only  as  regarded 
property  but  human  life.  From  Mrs.  Sharkey's 
boarding-school,  thirty-three  children  were  miss- 


286    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

ing.  As  they  were  swept  away  by  the  in-rushing 
sea  which  had  burst  open  doors  and  windows, 
their  voices  were  heard  in  prayer.  There  was 
scarcely  a  Christian  family  that  was  not  mourn- 
ing die  loss  of  those  carried  away  by  the  sea  on 
that  awful  night.  Except  a  spot  here  and  there, 
all  the  country  was  under  water.  The  hurricane 
had  spread  its  ravages  over  sixty  miles  of  open 
country  and  left  ruin  and  desolation  in  its  track. 
The  missionaries  escaped  with  their  lives,  but  the 
pecuniary  losses  vv'ere  great,  and  the  school-build- 
ing was  a  wreck. 

From  the  shock  of  this  terrible  visitation  the 
veteran  missionary  never  recovered.  On  the  13th 
of  the  following  December  he  wrote  to  one  of  his 
colleagues,  "  We  reopen,  please  God,  our  school 
to-morrow.  I  am  not  strong  enough  to  be  there. 
Jesus  will.  I  have  greatly  enjoyed  being  laid 
aside  for  a  few  days.  How  good  it  is  to  be  laid 
aside !  How  good  it  is  to  be  separated  from  our 
ordinary  work  and  duty!  How  sweet  God's 
Word !  " 

During  this  interval  when  unable  to  be  en- 
gaged in  his  accustomed  duties,  he  decided  "  to 
take  a  holiday  " — not  from  the  place,  but  only 
that  he  might  review  and  assort  his  papers  which 
had  accumulated  for  years.  Perhaps  he  had  even 
then  heard  the  voice  of  his  Master  calling  him 
away.  Masulipatam  had  by  this  time  become  very 
unhealthy.  "  No  spot  in  the  town  is  free  from 
infected  air  and  scarcely  any  house  from  sick- 


Robert  T.  Noble  287 

ness,"  wrote  one  of  the  pupils  of  the  High  School. 
"  Dear  Mr.  Noble's  health,  I  am  afraid,  is  very 
much  shattered,  but  the  good  old  father  of  the 
mission  never  thinks  of  going  away  for  a 
change." 

One  of  Mr.  Noble's  European  friends  hearing 
of  his  enfeebled  condition  wrote  urging  him  to 
come  up  to  the  Neilgherry  hills  where  the  air  was 
delightfully  cool  and  salubrious,  but  he  declined 
the  tempting  invitation.  *'  The  natives  are  very 
full  of  fears,"  he  wrote.  "  A  good  deal  of  sick- 
ness has  prevailed  in  the  town,  and  as  my  dear 
young  native  converts,  forsaking  home  and  friends 
have  come  to  me,  I  feel  I  cannot  desert  them  in 
this  time  of  fear  and  danger  and  perplexity." 

A  letter  was  sent  to  one  of  his  brothers  four 
months  after  the  cyclone  giving  further  particu- 
lars of  the  great  disaster.  One  other  letter  fol- 
lowed this,  and  it  was  perhaps  the  last  he  ever 
wrote.  It  related  chiefly  to  work  among  the 
women  of  Masulipatam.  "  More  than  twenty- 
four  years  have  now  passed,"  he  wrote,  "  with- 
out anything  being  done  in  this  department,  yet, 
dearest  brother,  I  hope  you  will  use  your  utmost 
exertions  to  have  agents  sent." 

This  last  appeal  was  followed  in  October  by  a 
cablegram  from  India,  *'  Noble  is  dead."  A  letter 
from  Mr.  Sharkey,  who  had  laboured  with  Mr. 
Noble  from  the  beginning,  written  on  the  i8th 
of  October,  1865,  the  day  following  his  decease, 
said,  "  Our  medium  of  union  is  gone.     The  mis- 


288    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

sion  has  lost,  as  it  were,  its  crown,  its  man  of 
prayer,  of  faith  and  patience.  The  father  of  the 
mission  has  gone." 

The  funeral  was  attended  by  all  the  European 
residents  of  the  place  and  by  thousands  of  natives, 
for  all  mourned  the  loss  of  the  excellent  mission- 
ary. The  heathen  regarded  him  as  a  man  of  great 
sanctity,  and  he  was  held  in  the  highest  esteem 
by  his  own  countrymen. 

The  native  gentlemen  of  Masulipatam  called  a 
meeting  to  raise  a  memorial  to  their  departed 
friend.  This  was  attended  by  a  large  number 
and  the  addresses  made  were  eloquent  with  the 
praises  of  the  man  whose  memory  they  wished  to 
honour.  "  His  name,"  said  one,  "  was  significant. 
He  was  Noble  by  name,  noble  in  mind,  noble  in 
action,  noble  in  purpose,  endowed  with  noble 
faculties — he  was  altogether  noble.  This  man 
gave  himself  body  and  soul  to  the  people  among 
whom  he  had  come  to  live  and  to  labour.  He  has 
left  behind  him  a  glorious  name  and  an  imperish- 
able fame ;  and  if  you  seek  for  a  monument  look 
around.  There  are  living  monuments,  the  re- 
sults of  his  labour."  It  was  proposed  to  perpetu- 
ate his  memory  by  founding  scholarships  called 
after  his  name,  and  at  this  meeting  1,290  rupees 
were  subscribed  toward  this  object. 

Though  Mr.  Noble  felt  that  he  was  commis- 
sioned especially  to  make  known  the  Gospel  to  the 
unevangelised  in  India,  he  was  ready  to  do  good 
to  all  as  he  had  opportunity.    One  single  instance 


Robert  T.  Noble  289 

may  suffice.  On  his  first  journey  from  Madras 
to  Masulipatam,  he  fell  in  with  a  native  who  was 
very  ill  and  he  felt  that  it  was  his  duty  to  act  the 
part  of  the  good  Samaritan  to  his  suffering 
brother.  He  accordingly  made  a  halt  in  his  jour- 
ney to  administer  medicine  and  to  watch  its  ef- 
fects. This  delay  made  a  change  in  his  plans 
necessary.  He  had  intended  to  spend  the  Sab- 
bath with  Christian  friends  in  Ongole,  but  was 
obliged  instead  to  spend  it  in  the  jungle,  and 
this  was  a  great  disappointment.  On  arrival  at 
the  little  rest-house  provided  for  travellers  he 
learned  from  the  man  in  charge  that  a  young 
European  officer  was  expected  and  the  thought  at 
once  came  to  him,  that  the  Lord  had  work  for 
him  to  do  there  in  the  wilderness;  and  so  it 
proved.  The  young  man  was  the  son  of  godly 
parents,  but  in  a  heathen  land  he  had  wandered 
far  from  the  right  way.  During  the  hours  of  that 
quiet  Sabbath  Mr.  Noble  won  the  confidence  of 
the  young  officer  and  before  the  sun  went  down 
he  had  resolved,  with  the  help  of  God,  to  begin 
a  new  life.  Before  they  parted  on  the  following 
morning,  Mr.  Noble  again  urged  the  young  man 
to  follow  Christ  fully.  This  was  the  beginning 
of  a  new  career  for  the  repentant  prodigal  who 
from  this  time  set  his  face  heavenward.  To  Mr. 
Noble  this  was  cause  for  unspeakable  thankful- 
ness, the  more  especially  as  while  still  a  very 
young  man  this  officer  was  stricken  with  cholera 
while  on  a  tour  and  died  after  an  illness  of  only 


290    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

six  hours.  To  a  Christian  friend,  who  was  with 
him  he  said,  ''  All  is  well.  In  health  I  gave  my 
heart  to  Christ."  Of  his  interest  in  his  young 
countrymen,  exposed  to  peculiar  temptations  in 
India,  Mr.  Noble  said  at  one  time,  "  I  can  hardly 
look  upon  a  young  man  without  tears." 

Stimulated  by  the  movement  among  the  native 
gentlemen  of  Masulipatam  and  in  accordance  with 
the  wishes  of  many  Europeans,  the  Correspond- 
ing Committee  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society 
at  Madras  issued  an  appeal  on  behalf  of  a 
memorial  to  the  man  whose  loss  all  so  deeply  de- 
plored. It  was  felt  that  as  a  missionary,  Mr. 
Noble  stood  in  the  foremost  rank.  Before  he 
began  his  great  work,  there  was  scarcely  a  well- 
educated  native  in  the  Masulipatam  District. 
When  he  passed  away  there  were  hundreds,  and 
Government  officials  of  high  rank  bore  testimony 
to  the  character  for  truthfulness  and  courtesy  and 
the  high  tone  of  morality  which  characterised  the 
subordinate  officials  of  Government  who  had  re- 
ceived their  education  in  this  school.  The  Insti- 
tution at  Masulipatam  had  not  inappropriately 
been  called  '*  the  Cambridge  of  South  India." 
Through  the  instrumentality  of  this  school  Chris- 
tian school-masters  had  been  raised  up  and  a 
body  of  native  clergymen  sent  forth  to  preach  the 
Gospel. 

It  had  been  Mr.  Noble's  desire  to  erect  a  more 
commodious  and  more  suitable  building  for  his 
school,  and  with  this  object  in  view  he  had  begun 


Robert  T.  Noble  291 

to  collect  materials,  but  these  were  all  swept  away 
by  the  cyclone.  It  was  proposed  in  the  appeal 
sent  forth  by  the  European  friends  of  Mr.  Noble 
to  raise  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  fine  building 
to  be  called  the  Noble  College,  and  to  found  in 
connection  with  it  two  Noble  masterships,  and 
also  to  build  a  house  for  the  accommodation  of 
such  converts  to  Christianity  from  the  College  as 
should  be  thrust  out  from  their  homes  by  their 
relatives. 

Among  those  missionaries  in  India  w^ho  have 
left  behind  them  noble  records  because  of  the 
work  they  have  done  in  the  cause  of  Christian 
education,  Alexander  Duff,  of  Calcutta,  John 
Wilson,  of  Bombay,  and  John  Anderson,  of 
Madras,  stand  pre-eminent.  Beside  these  master- 
workmen  Robert  Noble,  of  Masulipatam,  may 
fittingly  find  a  place. 


XII 

ISIDOR  LOEWENTHAL 

1855-1864 

Late  in  the  afternoon  of  a  November  day 
in  1846,  when  rain  was  falHng  drearily,  a 
stranger  came  to  the  house  of  the  late 
Rev.  S.  M.  Gayley,  living  near  Wilmington, 
Delaware.  He  was  a  young  man  of  diminutive 
stature  and  carried  on  one  arm  a  basket  con- 
taining thread,  needles  and  other  small  articles 
which  he  offered  for  sale.  Very  forlorn  he 
looked,  drenched  with  rain,  insufficiently  clad  and 
shivering  with  cold.  To  help  one  who  seemed 
in  dire  need,  a  part  of  his  small  stock  was  pur- 
chased. Then  silently  the  young  man  covered 
the  remaining  articles  to  shield  them  from  injury 
by  the  storm  and  turned  slowly  toward  the  door. 
But  he  had  come  to  a  household  where  hearts 
beat  kindly.  Mr.  Gayley  entered  the  room  just 
as  the  stranger  was  about  to  pass  out.  and  gave 
him  a  cordial  invitation  to  spend  the  night  under 
his  roof,  an  invitation  which  was  most  gratefully 
accepted. 

Engaging  his  guest  in  conversation  during  the 

292 


Isldor  Loewenthal  293 

evening,  Mr.  Gayley  found  that  he  possessed 
more  than  ordinary  abihty  and  was  an  accom- 
plished Hnguist,  that  he  had  not  only  a  good 
knowledge  of  Hebrew,  but  was  acquainted  with 
several  of  the  modem  languages.  It  was  cer- 
tainly a  pity,  he  reflected,  that  a  man  of  such  at- 
tainments, should  be  engaged  as  a  peddler.  He 
accordingly  invited  him  to  remain  for  a  time  in 
his  house,  while  he  would  try  to  secure  for  him 
a  position  as  a  teacher. 

The  young  man  who  had  been  brought  provi- 
dentially to  this  Christian  home  was  Isidor  Loew- 
enthal, the  son  of  Jewish  parents,  and  born  in 
the  city  of  Posen,  in  Prussian  Poland,  in  the 
year  1827.  He  was  the  eldest  of  a  family  of 
eight  children.  While  the  father  had  little  regard 
for  Judaism,  though  observing  its  principal  rites 
and  ceremonies,  his  mother  adhered  strictly  to 
the  traditions  of  the  Rabbis,  and  instructed  her 
children  carefully  in  the  tenets  of  the  Jewish 
faith. 

At  a  very  early  age  Isidor  was  placed  in  a 
Jewish  school,  where  he  acquired  the  rudiments 
of  science,  learned  to  read  the  Hebrew  text,  and 
to  repeat  prayers  which  he  did  not  understand. 
The  boy  made  rapid  strides  in  learning  and  gave 
evidence  of  the  possession  of  unusual  mental 
gifts.  While  still  very  young  he  entered  the 
Gymnasium  of  his  native  city,  where  he  studied 
the  ancient  classics,  natural  science,  metaphysics, 
mathematics,  music,  Hebrew,  and  several  of  the 


294    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

modern  languages.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  Isi- 
dor  had  passed  successfully  through  the  entire 
course  of  study  usually  taught  at  such  institu- 
tions. 

His  father  felt  that  having  bestowed  upon  his 
son  a  liberal  education  he  should  now  put  to 
practical  use  the  knowledge  he  had  acquired,  and 
accordingly  made  arrangements  to  place  him  as 
a  clerk  in  a  mercantile  house  in  Posen.  But  the 
young  man  showed  little  aptitude  for  business, 
much  to  the  disappointment  of  his  father.  All 
his  leisure  hours  were  devoted  to  his  favourite 
studies.  He  greatly  desired  to  enter  one  of  the 
German  universities  and  arrangements  for  this 
were  completed  when  an  event  occurred  which 
changed  the  whole  course  of  his  life  and  made 
him  henceforth  an  exile  from  his  native  land. 

He  had  found  associations  with  educated  young 
men  who  had  imbibed  liberal  political  sentiments. 
Young  Loewenthal  was  in  full  sympathy  with 
such  views  and  was  not  careful  to  conceal  his 
opinions.  An  original  poem  containing  senti- 
ments adverse  to  Government  appeared  in  one  of 
the  public  journals.  It  was  traced  to  Loewenthal, 
with  the  result  that  he  was  brought  under  the 
notice  of  the  police.  Finding  that  he  was  in 
danger  of  arrest  he  fled  from  home  and  with 
difficulty  escaped  to  Hamburg,  from  whence  he 
took  passage  on  board  an  English  ship  for  New 
York,  where  he  arrived  in  the  autumn  of  1846. 
He  was  now  safe  from  pursuit,  but  he  was  alone 


Isidor  Loewenthal  295 

in  a  strange  land,  almost  destitute  of  means,  and 
ignorant  of  the  English  language. 

He  tried  to  find  employment  in  New  York,  but 
not  meeting  with  success  he  went  to  Philadelphia, 
but  here,  too,  he  found  every  door  closed  against 
him.  If  there  was  no  employment  for  him  in  the 
cities,  surely  he  could  find  work  in  the  country, 
he  reasoned.  From  one  farm-house  to  another 
he  wearily  made  his  way,  offering  his  services 
for  such  wages  as  the  farmers  might  choose  to 
give  him.  Looking  at  his  small  stature,  and  find- 
ing that  he  was  quite  unacquainted  with  farm- 
work,  no  one  was  willing  even  to  give  him  a 
trial. 

His  purse  was  now  very  light  and  his  heart 
very  heavy.  As  a  last  resort  he  invested  his  little 
all  in  a  small  stock  of  thread,  needles,  buttons, 
etc.,  and  with  his  basket  on  his  arm  set  out  as  a 
pedlar.  Happily  his  experience  in  this  field  was 
brief  and  a  brighter  career  opened  before  the  deso- 
late stranger.  Mr.  Gayley  was  able  to  secure 
for  him  the  position  of  teacher  of  French  and 
German  in  Lafayette  College.  Mr.  Loewenthal 
entered  upon  his  congenial  duties  in  the  begin- 
ning of  1847.  He  had  by  this  time  acquired 
some  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  but 
not  content  with  his  attainments,  with  untiring 
industry,  he  addressed  himself  to  study,  and  at 
the  close  of  the  session  could  both  speak  and 
write  English  with  classical  purity,  and  in  a 
short  time  he  had  acquired  a  considerable  knowl- 


2g6    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

edge  of  English  literature.  Not  only  were  his 
hours  of  leisure  from  college  duty  devoted  to 
study,  but  long  hours  of  the  night  and  sometimes 
whole  nights  were  spent  over  his  books.  One  of 
Mr.  Loewenthal's  characteristics  was  an  iron  will 
which  enabled  him  to  bend  all  his  energies  to  the 
accomplishment  of  whatever  he  undertook.  An- 
other distinguishing  feature  of  his  strongly 
marked  character  was  a  marvellously  retentive 
memory  which  held  for  practical  use  whatever 
knowledge  he  in  any  way  acquired. 

When  he  began  life  in  a  strange  land  Mr. 
Loewenthal  resolved  not  to  disclose  his  lineage. 
Accordingly  during  the  time  spent  in  Mr.  Gay- 
ley's  home  that  gentleman  received  no  intimation 
that  the  stranger  under  his  roof  was  a  son  of 
Abraham.  This  fact  he  first  learned  through  a 
letter  from  Mr.  Loewenthal  some  time  afterward. 
To  Mr.  Gayley  he  owed  more  than  a  home  when 
he  was  homeless,  and  kindly  interest  when  he  had 
not  a  friend  in  the  new  world.  Under  his  roof 
he  received  his  first  religious  impressions  and 
became  convinced  of  the  truth  of  Christianity. 
This  good  news  he  communicated  to  his  bene- 
factor in  a  letter  written  in  July,  1847.  In  that 
letter  he  told  him  how  as  his  guest  he  had  felt 
that  he  could  not  without  rudeness  absent  him- 
self from  the  morning  and  evening  devotions  of 
the  family;  how  the  word  of  God  read  on  these 
occasions  and  the  earnest  supplications  offered 


Isidor  Loewenthal  297 

led  him  to  feel  that  he  had  an  immortal  soul,  a 
soul  in  danger ;  how,  although  he  did  not  then 
disclose  his  feelings  to  his  host,  he  began  to  read 
his  Bible  and  to  pray;  how  finally,  God  had  re- 
moved the  evil  from  his  heart  and  had  revealed 
to  him  Jesus  as  his  Saviour. 

In  the  autumn  of  1847,  while  on  a  visit  to  Mr. 
Gayley,  during  a  vacation  in  the  College,  Mr. 
Loewenthal  made  a  public  profession  of  his  faith 
in  Christ  as  the  true  Messiah,  was  baptised  and 
received  into  the  Rockland  Presbyterian  Church 
to  which  Mr.  Gayley  then  ministered.  Soon  after 
this  event  he  entered  the  senior  class  of  Lafay- 
ette College  and  graduated  with  honour.  He  then 
acted  for  some  time  as  tutor  in  the  College  and 
later  as  teacher  of  languages  at  Mount  Holly, 
devoting  his  leisure  hours  to  philological  studies 
in  which  he  made  notable  progress.  In  the  au- 
tumn of  1852  he  resigned  his  situation  at  Mount 
Holly  and  entered  Princeton  Theological  Semi- 
nary. In  theological  study  he  took  the  keenest 
interest,  but  while  maintaining  a  high  rank  in 
this  department,  he  still  pursued  his  philological 
studies,  and  as  he  wielded  a  facile  and  powerful 
pen,  was  a  valued  contributor  to  the  "  Biblical 
Repertor>^" 

The  Society  of  Inquiry  in  the  Seminary  elected 
him  as  their  essayist  at  the  commencement  exer- 
cises of  the  class  in  which  he  graduated.  He  chose 
for  his  subject  **  India  as  a  Field  of  Labour." 


298    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

It  was  a  masterly  production,  evincing  great 
ability  and  a  comprehensive  knowledge  of  the 
subject. 

Having  completed  his  course  at  the  seminary, 
Mr.  Loewenthal  acted  for  a  time  as  tutor  in 
Princeton  College  and  filled  his  position  with 
marked  ability.  But  his  heart  was  set  on  India 
as  the  field  of  his  future  labours.  He  was  licensed 
to  preach  the  Gospel  in  1855  by  the  Presbytery  of 
New  York,  and  in  August  of  that  year  sailed  for 
India,  where  he  arrived  in  the  following  No- 
vember. 

When,  in  1834,  Mission  work  was  begun  in 
India  by  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  America, 
work  among  the  Afghans  was  contemplated,  but 
as  both  the  men  and  the  money  sent  out  from 
America  were  required  for  the  evangelisation  of 
more  accessible  parts  of  the  country  no  attempt 
was  then  made  to  reach  the  Afghan  population 
Not  long  before  Mr.  Loewenthal's  appointment 
to  India,  the  Executive  Committee  in  America 
had  been  led  to  consider  the  subject  of  beginning 
work  among  the  Afghans  by  the  offer  of  $7,500 
from  a  Christian  military  officer,  Captain  H. 
Conran,  whose  duties  in  Attock,  Peshawar  and 
other  far  northern  cities  had  led  him  to  feel  a 
deep  interest  in  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  Af- 
ghans. For  the  contemplated  Mission  it  was  felt 
that  Mr.  Loewenthal's  linguistic  talents  especially 
fitted  him.    Although  missionaries  would  not  be 


Isidor  Loewenthal  299 

allowed  to  reside  in  Afghanistan,  yet  as  many  of 
the  people  came  down  from  this  northern  country 
to  Peshawar,  num.bers  could  thus  be  reached 
with  the  Gospel,  their  language  learned  and  the 
Scriptures  translated,  so  that  when  a  door  should 
be  opened  into  this  closed  land,  there  might  be 
a  readiness  to  enter. 

Mr.  Loewenthal's  first  year  in  India  was  spent 
in  Rawal  Pindi,  a  city  two  hundred  miles  north 
of  Lahore.  The  year  was  devoted  to  the  study  of 
the  language  and  rapid  progress  was  made.  Near 
the  end  of  1856,  the  annual  meeting  of  the  mis- 
sion was  held  in  the  station  of  Dehra.  At  its 
close  Mr.  Loewenthal  wrote  to  the  Executive 
Committee  in  New  York :  ''  The  Mission  have 
sent  me  to  Peshawar,  with  a  view  of  penetrating, 
as  soon  as  ever  I  can,  and  in  whatever  way  pos- 
sible, into  closed  up  Afghanistan.  I  go  with 
great  diffidence  and  tremblingly  hope  for  the 
manifest  aid  of  the  Lord." 

Peshawar  is  a  city  on  the  borders  of  Afghan- 
istan. The  people  of  this  city  were  at  that  time, 
as  they  are  still,  the  most  turbulent,  fanatical 
and  bigoted  of  all  the  peoples  who  are  under 
Britain's  rule  in  India.  English  officials,  both 
civil  and  militar}%  had  therefore  felt  that  it  would 
be  exceedingly  imprudent  to  permit  any  Christian 
teaching  among  the  Afghans.  A  Commissioner 
stationed  at  Peshawar,  said,  when  consulted  on 
the  subject  of  allowing  a  missionary  to  reside  in 


300    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

the  city,  that  no  missionary  should  cross  the 
Indus  river  while  he  was  Commissioner  of 
Peshawar. 

One  afternoon,  not  many  months  after  he  had 
made  this  emphatic  declaration,  the  Commis- 
sioner was  sitting  in  the  verandah  of  his  bungalow 
when  a  tall  Afghan  appeared  and  salaaming  pro- 
foundly presented  a  petition.  The  Commissioner 
took  it  and  began  the  reading.  The  next  mo- 
ment the  Afghan's  knife  was  plunged  into  the 
heart  of  his  unsuspecting  victim.  His  successor 
in  office  was  Sir  Herbert  Edwardes,  a  man  who 
feared  God  and  who  felt  that  to  permit  the  Gospel 
to  shed  its  rays  in  the  dark  places  of  the  earth 
would  bring  blessing  and  not  disaster.  /  A  meet- 
ing had  been  appointed  for  the  19th  of  December, 
1853,  to  consider  the  subject  of  a  Christian  Mis- 
sion to  Peshawar.  It  was  the  day  of  the  Races, 
and  it  was  suggested  that  on  this  account  the 
meeting  should  be  deferred.  *'  Put  off  the  work 
of  God  for  a  steeple-chase !  "  exclaimed  the  godly 
Commissioner.  ''Never!"  The  meeting  was 
therefore  held  on  the  appointed  day.  The  num- 
ber in  attendance  was  not  large,  but  God  was 
present  by  His  Spirit.  Sir  Herbert  Edwardes  took 
the  chair  and  spoke  as  one  inspired,  for  he  had 
just  come  from  his  closet,  where  he  had  held 
intercourse  with  the  King  of  Kings. 

It  was  decided  at  this  meeting  to  ask  the  Church 
Missionary  Society  to  begin  work  in  Peshawar 
and  an  encouraging  amount  for  the  purpose  was 


Isidor  Loewenthal  301 

at  this  time  subscribed.  One  English  officer,  sym- 
pathising with  the  murdered  Commissioner  rather 
than  with  his  successor,  when  the  paper  asking 
for  subscriptions  for  the  proposed  Mission 
reached  him,  wrote :  *'  One  rupee  towards  a 
Deane  and  Adams  revolver  for  the  first  mission- 
ary." The  missionary,  he  felt,  would  need  fire- 
arms for  his  protection,  and  he  said  that  mission- 
aries coming  to  Peshawar  could  not  exist  without 
the  protection  of  his  sepoys.  This  officer  was 
transferred  to  Meerut  before  the  outbreak  of  the 
mutiny  there,  and  together  with  his  wife  was  cut 
down  by  his  own  sepoys  at  the  very  beginning  of 
the  mutiny. 

The  first  missionaries  sent  to  Peshawar  were 
the  Rev.  C.  G.^Pfander^  the  Rev.  Robert  Clark, 
and  a  devoted  layman.  Major  Martin,  who  had 
resigned  his  commission  in  the  army  to  enter 
upon  the  work  of  a  missionary.  All  belonged  to 
the  Church  Missionary  Society.  They  reached 
Peshawar  in  January,  1855.  Mr.  Pfander  began 
at  once  to  teach  and  to  preach.  A  school  for 
boys  was  opened  in  May,  and  of  this  Mr.  Clark 
had  charge.  In  addition  to  his  other  duties, 
Major  Martin  organised  the  secular  work  of  the 
Mission,  kept  the  Mission  accounts,  carried  on  a 
large  part  of  the  correspondence  and  gave  gen- 
erous financial  help  to  the  infant  enterprise, 

Mr.  Loewenthal  therefore  found  Christian 
workers  in  Peshawar  on  his  arrival.  Here  he 
was  to  pitch  his  tent,  and  be  ready  to  move  into 


302    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

the  regions  beyond  as  soon  as  the  Lord  should 
open  the  way.  Meanwhile  he  would  be  occupied 
in  study,  in  preaching  to  the  people  as  soon  as 
able  to  use  the  language,  and  above  all  In  pre- 
paring a  translation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  into 
Pushtu,  the  language  of  the  Afghans.  The 
languages  spoken  in  Peshawar  were  the  Hin- 
dustani, Persian  and  Pushtu.  The  Hindustani 
was  spoken  in  the  city  and  in  the  cantonments, 
and  was  the  official  language  of  the  Government. 
The  Persian  was  spoken  by  the  higher  and  more- 
educated  classes,  while  the  Pushtu  was  the  lan- 
guage spoken  in  the  villages  and  by  all  the  sur- 
rounding tribes.  A  knowledge  of  Arabic  was 
also  necessary,  the  better  to  secure  attention  in 
argument  as  the  population  was  almost  exclu- 
sively Mohammedan. 

"  Peshawar,"  wrote  Mr.  Loewenthal  after  he  had 
become  somewhat  acquainted  with  the  city,  "  is 
interesting  as  a  sort  of  Alsace,  a  borderland  be- 
tween countries — the  Gibraltar  of  the  East,  where 
Jew  and  Gentile,  exiled  Europeans  and  refugee 
Asiatics,  Bengalis  and  cut-throat  Afghans  meet 
and  jostle  each  other.  One  sees  ambassadors 
from  Yarkand,  silk-dealers  from  Bokhara,  long- 
haired Belooches,  close-shaven  Moguls,  adven- 
turers from  Herat,  and  scholars  from  Kanda- 
har." The  streets  of  the  native  city  are  irregular 
and  the  houses  are  chiefly  of  mud,  low  and  flat- 
roofed  Around  the  city  runs  a  low  mud  v/all 
intended    as    a   protection    against    robbers.      A 


Isidor  Loewenthal  303 

quadrilateral  fortress,  whose  walls  rise  to  a  great 
height,  dominates  the  city. 

The  European  quarter  is  in  striking  contrast 
to  the  native  city,  with  its  pleasant  bungalows, 
set  in  the  midst  of  spacious  compounds,  gay  with 
flowering  shrubs.  The  surrounding  scenery  is 
full  of  grandeur.  The  valley  is  sixty  miles  in 
length,  bounded  on  the  east  by  the  Indus  and 
girt  on  every  side  by  hills,  some  of  which  are 
bare  and  rocky  and  others  are  clothed  with  vege- 
tation. Rising  above  all,  two  hundred  miles  to 
the  south-west  is  the  snow-capped  peak  of 
Takht-i-Sulelman,  or  "  Solomon's  Throne.'' 

But  other  thoughts  than  of  the  grandeur  of  the 
scenery  filled  the  heart  of  the  missionary  as  he 
looked  out  over  the  enchanting  prospect. 
"  Standing,"  he  wrote,  "  before  the  wild  range  of 
the  Suleiman  mountains,  gazing  evening  after 
evening  as  the  sun  is  setting  behind  it,  on  the  line 
of  savage,  habitationless,  precipitous  crags,  stand- 
ing so  distinct  against  the  brilliant  sky,  following 
morning  after  morning  the  strong  sunlight  of 
these  latitudes  as  it  penetrates  one  by  one  the 
rugged  passes  and  the  jagged  clefts — forbidden 
by  man  and  nature  to  cross  beyond,  and  knowing 
that  once  beyond  he  might  pass  through  this  vast 
cradle  of  nations,  from  the  Khyber  to  the  great 
commercial  entrepot  of  Yezd  in  one  direction 
and  beyond  the  Oxus  as  far  as  Orenburg  in  the 
other,  and  be  everywhere  almost  the  first  to 
announce  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation  through 


304    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Jesus  Christ,  the  missionary  is  apt  to  fancy  these 
mountains  more  and  more  insurmountable  bar- 
riers; sickness  and  exhaustion  cause  him  to  feel 
his  own  weakness  and  littleness  daily  more  keenly, 
and  he  would  be  tempted  to  despair  were  there 
not  a  voice  crying  in  the  wilderness,  '  Prepare  ye 
the  way  of  the  Lord.'  " 

Of  the  inhabitants,  Mr.  Loewenthal  wrote, 
"  The  Afghan  is  fierce  and  bloodthirst}'  and  is 
never  without  weapons.  There  is  hardly  a  man 
whose  hands  are  not  stained  with  blood.  They 
are  faithless  to  public  engagements,  unless  the 
keeping  of  a  promise  would  further  their  own 
interests.  Like  all  Mohammedans,  they  are  ex- 
cessively sensual.  They  are  very  avaricious  and 
this  passion  is  the  safeguard  which  the  ruling 
powers  have  against  their  religious  frenzy  and 
uncontrollable  ferocity;  and  yet  the  surface  of 
all  Mussulman  life  is  thoroughly  religious.  God, 
if  not  in  all  their  thoughts,  is  certainly  in  all 
their  words."  The  missionary,  before  he  learned 
that  their  words  were  by  no  means  an  index  to 
their  thoughts,  felt  reproved  when  he  observed 
how  constant  was  their  verbal  recognition  of  God 
in  all  they  did,  and  how  continual  the  avowal  of 
their  dependence  on  Him  in  all  the  common 
affairs  of  life.  The  Afghan's  morning  salutation 
is,  "  Peace  to  you."  If  you  ask  after  his  welfare, 
he  answers  "  Thanks  to  God."  If  you  say  a 
storm  is  rising,  he  replies  "  God  is  great." 

On  the  night  of  the  nth  of  May,  but  a  few 


Isidor  Loewenthal  305 

months  after  Mr.  Loewenthal's  arrival,  news 
reached  the  officials  in  Pashawar  of  the  mutiny  of 
the  native  troops  in  Meerut.  Five  days  later  Sir 
Herbert  Edwardes  was  summoned  to  Rawal  Pindi 
to  attend  a  Council.  Returning  to  Peshawar  on 
the  2 1  St  he  found  a  crisis  impending,  as  during 
his  absence  a  succession  of  plots  had  been  dis- 
covered. Letters  had  been  intercepted  from  Mo- 
hammedan fanatics,  exhorting  the  sepoys  of  the 
disaffected  regiments  of  Peshawar  to  follow  the 
example  of  the  troops  in  Meerut.  There  were  in 
the  valley  two  European  regiments  and  six  or 
seven  regiments  of  Sepoys;  of  the  latter  the 
majority  were  disaffected.  It  was  decided  to  dis- 
arm a  large  proportion  of  these  troops,  and  some 
were  sent  out  of  the  valley. 

One  Sikh  Sirdar,  on  being  asked  why  he 
always  inquired  so  anxiously  about  the  safety  of 
Peshawar,  replied  by  rolling  up  the  end  of  his 
scarf  and  saying,  "If  Peshawar  goes,  the  whole 
Punjab  will  be  rolled  up  in  rebellion  Hke  this." 
But  Peshawar  was  saved.  The  summer,  however, 
was  one  of  painful  anxiety.  Mr.  Loewenthal 
wrote  at  this  time,  *'  Things  outwardly  seem  to 
go  on  as  usual,  but  everyone  is  aware  that  he  is 
standing  on  a  mine,  and  that  the  train  is  laid.  I 
am,  however,  perfectly  calm,  without  fear,  and 
feel  content  and  happy." 

Through  all  the  uncertainties  and  trials  of  his 
first  year  in  this  frontier  city,  Mr.  Loewenthal 
had  diligently  improved  his  time  in  the  study  of 


3o6    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

the  languages,  and  could  say  that  he  had  in  some 
small  measure  succeeded  in  acquiring  the  collo- 
quial use  of  the  Persian  language,  but  had  failed 
as  yet  in  making  himself  master  of  the  Pushtu." 
The  inherent  difficulties  of  the  language,  the  want 
of  proper  helps,  the  difficulty  of  access  to  the 
people  speaking  it,  and  the  excessive  heat  which 
had  prevailed  for  several  months  of  the  year  are 
some  of  the  reasons  given  why  his  progress  in 
the  Pushtu  had  been  less  rapid  than  he  desired. 

Unable  to  penetrate  into  the  Afghan  country 
beyond  Peshawar,  Mr.  Loewenthal  kept  con- 
tinually in  mind  the  thought  of  evangelising  the 
people  of  this  closed  land  through  the  press,  es- 
pecially through  the  Word  of  God  translated  into 
Pushtu,  which  is  spoken  from  the  Indus  in  the 
East,  to  Herat  in  the  West,  and  from  the  Hindu 
Kush  in  the  North,  to  the  deserts  of  Beluchistan 
in  the  South,  an  extent  of  country  larger  than  the 
whole  of  France. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  Dr. 
Leyden,  the  professor  of  Hindustani  in  the  Col- 
lege of  Fort  William,  Calcutta,  made  the  first 
attempt  to  produce  a  Pushtu  translation  of  the 
Scriptures.  In  1811  a  translation  of  the  Gospels 
of  Matthew  and  Mark  into  this  language  was 
completed.  At  Dr.  Leyden's  death,  the  year 
following,  the  translation  was  continued  under 
the  superintendence  of  the  Serampore  mission- 
aries, by  the  scribe  previously  employed  by  Dr. 
Leyden.     An  edition  of  the  entire  New  Testa- 


Isidor  Loewenthal  307 

ment,  in  this  language,  was  printed  at  Seram- 
pore  in  18 18.  A  few  copies  of  this  edition  found 
their  way  into  European  Hbraries,  and  some, 
doubtless  reached  Afghanistan  through  Afghan 
merchants  who  carried  the  fruits  of  Kabul  as  far 
as  Calcutta.  When  Lieutenant  (afterwards  Sir 
Herbert  Edwardes)  was  sent  by  the  Government 
to  the  Bannu  District,  in  the  year  1848,  he  found 
a  copy  of  the  New  Testament  in  Pushtu  .in  the 
hands  of  an  Afghan.  It  had  been  given  him  at 
Hardwar,  when  as  a  boy  he  had  accompanied  his 
relatives  to  the  great  fair  held  at  this  place,  with 
the  injunction  to  take  care  of  the  Book  and 
neither  fling  it  into  the  river  or  the  fire,  but  pre- 
serve it  until  the  day  when  the  British  should  be 
rulers  of  his  country.  The  man  had  kept  the 
Book  wrapped  carefully  in  many  folds  of  cloth, 
and  perhaps  had  never  read  a  page  of  the  Sacred 
Volume,  or  allowed  any  one  else  to  do  so. 

When  Missionary  work  was  begun  in  Lodiana 
by  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  America  in 
1834  copies  of  the  Serampore  Pushtu  version  of 
the  New  Testament  were  given  to  the  Afghans 
found  there,  many  of  whom  had  accompanied 
their  exiled  King,  Shah  Shujah,  to  this  place. 
At  the  time  of  Mr.  Loewenthal's  residence  in 
Peshawar,  very  few  copies  of  this  edition  ex- 
isted. After  careful  examination  it  was  decided 
not  to  print  this  version,  but  instead,  to  prepare 
a  new  translation. 

In  the  year  1821  the  Serampore  missionaries 


3o8    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

had  issued  an  edition  of  the  Pentateuch  in  Push- 
tu, and  in  1832  the  historical  books  of  the  Old 
Testament  in  the  same  language  had  also  been 
issued,  but  of  these  portions  of  the  Old  Testament 
Mr.  Loewenthal  was  unable  to  procure  even  a 
single  copy. 

As  soon  as  he  felt  himself  sufficiently  familiar 
with  the  language  he  began  a  translation  of  the 
New  Testament  Scriptures  into  Pushtu.  Prog- 
ress was  necessarily  slow  in  the  beginning  of 
such  an  enterprise,  but  the  diligent  missionary 
was  not  discouraged.  Nor  was  he  faint  of  heart 
because  there  seemed  no  immediate  prospect  of 
penetrating  into  Afghanistan.  In  reference  to 
this  he  said :  ^'  Though  at  this  moment,  Afghan- 
...istan  seems  closed,  events  which  may  take  the 
most  sagacious  statesmen  and  diplomatists  by 
surprise  may  furnish  the  key  and  suddenly  the 
gates  may  burst  open.  At  that  moment  let  the 
Church  be  ready  to  go  in  and  possess.  Though 
like  Achaean  warriors  we  may  have  been  lying 
;ten  years  before  the  impregnable  city,  every  mo- 
i  ment  of  that  time  may  have  been  needed  to  fit  us 

I  for  the  final  conquest.  The  representatives  of 
the  world,  the  merchant  and  the  soldier,  will  be 
ready  for  the  juncture ;  the  philanthropist  and  the 
political  economist  will  offer  to  this  people  their 

;    civilisation.     But  what  is  civilisation  without  the 

'    Gospel?" 

Life   on   the  borders   of  a  wild   countr}^  like 
Afghanistan,   even   in   peaceful   times,   was   not 


Isidor  Loewenthal  309 

without  its  excitement.  Writing  to  his  friends  in 
America  in  February,  1858,  Mr.  Loewenthal 
said :  *'  After  my  recovery  from  a  severe  attack 
of  fever,  I  had  planned  an  expedition  into  the 
Yusufzoy  country  when  a  sudden  attack  of  the 
Afghans  upon  an  Assistant  Commissioner's  camp, 
in  which  his  tents  were  burned,  five  of  his  serv- 
ants killed,  some  horses  of  his  escort  carried 
away  and  he  himself  narrowly  escaped  with  his 
life,  warned  me  that  the  time  was  not  yet.  Rob- 
beries, many  connected  with  murders,  are  of 
nightly  occurrence  in  the  city.  Some  thieves, 
about  three  weeks  ago,  dug  into  my  house,  ran- 
sacked it  and  came  to  the  bed  where  I  enjoyed 
a  very  sound  sleep,  but  did  no  harm  beyond  car- 
rying off  what  clothes  they  could  find  and  some 
cooking  furniture.  They  also  took  out  a  large 
and  costly  Persian  manuscript,  but  not  being  of  a 
literary  turn,  they  left  it  outside,  where  I  found 
it  in  the  morning,  together  with  the  trunks  they 
had  emptied.  They  might  have  done  much  more 
mischief,  and  it  is  hard  to  tell  why  they  did  not. 
The  Lord  is  very  good." 

The  year  1859  passed  tranquilly.  Mr.  Loew- 
enthal was  occupied  in  preaching  and  in  trans- 
lating the  Scriptures  into  Pushtu.  This  latter 
branch  of  labour  was  most  congenial  to  him,  and 
as  he  gained  in  experience,  his  conviction  of  the 
supreme  importance  of  his  work,  deepened.  A 
Pushtu  translation  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  would 
reach  a  larger  proportion  of  the  Afghans  than 


3IO    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

would  a  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  the 
Persian  language,  as  only  the  more  highly  edu- 
cated among  them  were  acquainted  with  the  Per- 
sian. ''  It  is  rare,"  observes  Mr.  Loewenthal, 
"  to  receive  much  assistance  from  the  Afghan 
writers  in  the  investigation  of  truth.  There  is  no 
cultivation  of  their  language  and  literature  going 
on  at  this  time,  and  the  epoch  seems  propitious 
for  the  creation  of  a  new,  a  Christian  litera- 
ture. Reading  is  very  much  left  to  the  women 
now ;  a  state  of  things  which  can  hardly  be  true 
of  any  other  part  of  India.  The  women  can  tell 
you  in  rhyme  and  metre  what  twenty-five  things 
make  a  prayer  nugatory,  or  what  is  meant  by 
saying  that  God  has  neither  quiddity  nor  quan- 
tity, etc." 

'  "  Free-spoken  are  these  Afghans,"  he  wrote  on 
another  occasion.  "  You  priests  read,"  they  say 
sometimes,  "  because  you  are  paid  for  it.  Pay 
us,  and  we  will  read,  too,  even  your  Holy  Book, 
if  you  will.  Nobody  reads  to  be  instructed.  Why 
should  we  read  ?  "  Mr.  Loewenthal  found  in  his 
intercourse  with  these  stalwart  men  of  the  North 
what  the  missionary  finds  in  other  parts  of  India, 
the  lamentable  absence  of  a  sense  of  sin  and  of 
the  necessity  of  a  Saviour,  the  only  basis  of  real 
religion.  '*  Where  is  the  standing-ground  then 
to  be  found  ?  "  asks  Mr.  Loewenthal  in  one  of 
his  letters,  "  from  which  to  work  the  lever  of  con- 
version? Theoretically  and  speculatively  the  an- 
swer may  be  difficult;  practically,  it  is  not;  men 


Isidor  Loewenthal  311 

have  been  converted;  this  one  fact  outweighs 
all  theories  and  calculations  to  the  contrary,  and 
the  most  satisfying  consideration  is  that  conver- 
sion is  not  man's  work;  the  missionary  is  sent 
simply  to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  no  nation,  as- 
suredly, even  in  a  mere  moral  and  political  point 
of  view  needs  the  Gospel  more  than  the  Af- 
ghans." 

Mr.  Loewenthal  preached  in  the  city  in  Pushtu 
when  his  audience  consisted  chiefly  of  people 
drawn  from  the  villages,  but  Persian  was  the  lan- 
guage usually  employed.  Frequent  visits  were 
made  to  the  villages  in  the  vicinity  of  Peshawar. 
The  discussions  and  conversations  in  the  bazaars 
of  the  city  and  in  the  villages  procured  for  the 
missionary  frequent  visits  from  so-called  learned 
men  who  came  rather  to  air  their  erudition  and  to 
confound  the  missionary  than  to  seek  instruction. 
With  the  desire  of  the  missionary  to  be  courteous 
to  all  there  was  a  jealousy  of  the  precious  hours 
that  he  feared  were  but  wasted  in  fruitless  discus- 
sions. "  The  Afghans  are  the  greatest  idlers  imag- 
inable," he  wrote,  "  and  waste  many  a  day  for  the 
missionary."  Discussions  were  occasionally  held 
in  the  vicinity  of  some  city  mosque,  but  from  those 
encounters  he  usually  returned  burdened  with  the 
conviction,  that  no  real  good  had  been  accom- 
pHshed. 

From  time  to  time  professed  inquirers  after 
the  truth  presented  themselves,  but  when  put  to 
the  test  of  sincerity  which  the  missionary  thought 


312    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

it  right  and  wise  to  apply,  and  which  consisted 
in  a  willingness  to  work  for  their  bread,  they 
were  frequently  found  wanting. 

Mr.  Loewenthal  mentions  in  one  of  his  letters 
how  and  why  an  inquirer  came  to  him  to  be  in- 
structed. The  man  had  fallen  into  perils  among 
his  own  countrymen.  He  had  been  persecuted  and 
oppressed,  and  to  crown  all,  his  wife  had  been 
carried  away  while  he  was  absent  from  home 
and  the  offender  refused  to  restore  her.  Beside 
himself  with  sorrow  and  anger  the  man  ran 
through  the  streets  and  bazaars  of  Kabul  crying 
out  that  religion  and  truth,  morality  and  faith 
had  departed  from  Islam,  that  the  religion  of  the 
Mohammedans  was  cruelty,  oppression  and 
wrong,  and  that  he  was  going  to  Peshawar,  where 
the  English  ruled,  and  would  there  become  a 
Christian.  He  did  not  find  it  so  easy  a  matter  as 
he  had  thought,  to  change  his  faith.  When  he 
made  inquiries  on  the  subject,  of  either  Hindu  or 
Mohammedan,  he  was  told  that  every  one  must 
remain  in  the  faith  in  which  he  was  born.  One 
day  a  Jew  passed  the  shop  in  which  the  much- 
perplexed  man  was  working  as  a  cobbler,  and 
this  man  was  pointed  out  to  Mushki,  the  Kabuli, 
as  one  who  had  become  a  Christian.  Accosting 
the  Jewish  stranger  he  asked  him  who  had  made 
him  a  Christian;  and  he  was  at  once  conducted 
to  Mr.  Loewenthal.  "  A  wonderful  specimen  of 
humanity  he  was,"  said  Mr.  Loewenthal.  "  His 
language  was  neither  Persian  nor  Pushtu.     He 


Isldor  Loewenthal  313 

called  it  Kabuli,  and  after  a  good  deal  of  close 
attention  I  found  that  it  was  a  curiously  dipped 
kind  of  Persian.  But  one's  tongue  gets  to  be  very 
loose  in  this  Asiatic  Babel,  and  in  a  few  days  I 
could  talk  as  bad  Persian  as  any  Kabul  cockney. 
The  entire  extent  of  Mushki's  religious  knowl- 
edge consisted  in  this — there  is  one  God  and  Mo- 
hammed is  his  prophet.  His  memory  was  mar- 
vellous. To  read  to  Mushki  the  Lord's  Prayer 
three  times  was  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  repeat 
it  accurately.  Doctrines  until  then  quite  new  to 
him,  presented  to  him  clearly  once,  thenceforth 
became  his  property  for  aye.  He  was  ready  to 
confess  himself  a  sinner,  but  had  no  conception  of 
guilt.  That  he  was  inquiring  concerning  the 
Christian  religion,  gave  him,  he  maintained,  a 
sufficient  claim  to  support,  and  he  refused  to 
engage  in  any  employment."  Mr.  Loewenthal 
was  eventually  obliged  to  withdraw  his  support. 
The  man  then  began  to  wander  about  the  country, 
calling  himself  a  Christian. 

Although  Mr.  Loewenthal's  chief  employment 
was  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  Pushtu, 
yet  he  did  not  neglect  the  work  of  preaching. 
Very  frequently  he  preached  to  great  crowds  of 
"  vociferous,  fanatical,  gainsaying  people,"  some 
of  whom  came  to  his  house  for  more  quiet  dis- 
cussions. 

In  the  summer  of  1862,  Mr.  Loewenthal  made 
a  tour  into  Kashmir.  "  The  climate  is  wonder- 
ful," he  wrote  to  his  friends  in  America, ''  and  the 


314    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

beauty  of  the  valley  such  as  to  sustain  the  de- 
scriptions of  the  travellers  and  even  of  poets. 
Man  alone,  and  his  works  are  here,  too,  in  grating 
harmony  with  the  loveliness  of  God's  crea- 
tion. I  have  tried  to  preach,  but  with  little  suc- 
cess or  satisfaction.  Kashmiris  understand  only 
Kashmiri,  which  I  do  not  know  yet.  I  have  found 
people  who  know  Persian,  but  these  belong  to 
the  respectable  classes  who  do  not  form  the 
crowds  the  missionary  usually  has  to  address  in 
bazaar  preaching.  Some  of  the  latter,  however, 
both  Hindus  and  Mohammedans,  have  been  vis- 
iting me  in  Srinagar,  and  thus  the  Gospel  has 
been  preached  to  a  few." 

Of  the  hindrances  to  work,  either  in  the 
bazaars  of  the  city,  or  in  the  surrounding  villages 
during  the  hot  season,  Mr.  Loewenthal's  experi- 
ences coincide  with  the  experiences  of  probably 
every  missionary  on  the  plains  of  India.  He 
says,  "  I  find  it  almost  impossible  to  get  back  from 
the  preaching  in  the  villages,  without  being  ex- 
posed to  the  sun  later  than  I  can  bear  it,  and  the 
result  is  prostration.  It  is  not  the  pain  so  much 
which  I  regret,  as  the  absolute  loss  of  so  much 
time. 

In  the  evening  there  is  a  steaming  crowd  in  a 
close  bazaar  with  the  thermometer  near  a  hun- 
dred, and  not  a  breath  of  air,  and  loud  clamour- 
ing until  the  voice  absolutely  seems  to  refuse  to 
sound."    But  the  discomfort  of  such  experiences, 


Isidor  Loewenthal  315 

aside  from  the  apparent  unfruitfulness,  was  less 
trying  than  the  conviction  that  he  was  thereby  in 
a  great  measure  unfitting  himself  for  the  hterary 
work  which  "  the  greatest  variety  of  men,  in 
unconscious  concert  persisted  in  thrusting  upon 
him,"  so  that  he  was  often  perplexed  as  to  the 
line  he  ought  to  pursue. 

Mr.  Loewenthal  took  great  delight  in  cold 
weather  itinerations.  On  one  occasion  he  was 
travelling  with  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  Dis- 
trict of  Yusufoy,  who  moved  about  with  a  large 
escort  of  foot  and  horse.  He  was  asked  by  his 
host  not  to  preach  in  the  frontier  villages  and 
not  to  create  any  excitement.  In  regard  to  these 
restrictions,  he  said,  *'  They  are  woful  dogs,  but 
limping  is  better  than  not  to  be  able  to  walk  at 
all,"  well  knowing  that  only  when  under  the 
protection  of  so  powerful  an  escort,  would  it  be 
possible  in  outlying  districts,  to  preach  the  Gospel 
at  all.  On  this  tour  he  preached  in  some  villages 
to  large  and  attentive  crowds,  and  in  places  where 
he  was  not  allowed  to  go  to  the  people  the  people 
came  to  him.  "  I  am  pretty  well  known,"  he 
wrote,  ''  to  many  of  the  better  classes,  so  as  soon 
as  my  presence  was  known,  respectable  Khans, 
learned  Mullahs,  zealous  Imams  and  other  clean- 
ly-dressed, large-turbaned  Afghans  crowded  into 
my  little  tent,  and  we  had  disputations  all  day 
long.  I  distributed  some  few  of  the  Gospels  in 
Pushtu  and  made  the  truth  known  to  many." 


3i6    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

During  this  tour  he  spent  the  time  at  his  com- 
mand in  revising  and  correcting  his  Pushtu 
translation  of  the  New  Testament. 

In  the  summer  of  1862  he  wrote  to  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  in  New  York,  "  I  hope  you  will 
receive  early  next  year  three  copies  of  the  Push- 
tu New  Testament,  one,  as  you  requested,  for 
your  Library  in  the  Mission  House,  one  for  the 
Library  of  Princeton  Seminary,  and  one  for  the 
American  Oriental  Society." 

In  the  autumn  of  1863  Mr.  Loewenthal  was 
again  at  the  front,  ''  accompanying  a  considerable 
military  force  which  it  was  thought  would  only 
have  a  march  through  a  hitherto  unknown  part 
of  the  Afghan  country  and  no  fighting.  These 
circumstances  Mr.  Loewenthal  thought  favourable 
to  his  becoming  acquainted  with  tribes  to  whom 
he  might  have  access  in  more  peaceful  times,  and 
as  a  large  part  of  the  force  was  to  consist  of  fron- 
tier regiments,  he  would  always  have  in  camp 
a  congregation  of  Afghans.  "  I  have  two  or 
three  services  on  Sunday  in  English,"  he  wrote, 
**  and  have  also  had  opportunities  of  preaching  to 
the  Afghans,  and  have  even  distributed  some 
Pushtu  Gospels.  I  am  not  usually  exposed  to 
fire;  attending  the  wounded  is  one  of  my  most 
arduous  duties." 

Letters  received  in  New  York  from  India  dated 
the  31st  of  March,  1864,  conveyed  the  tidings  of 
the  death  of  the  Rev.  Levi  Janvier,  D.D.,  at  the 
hands  of  a  Sikh  fanatic.     Mr.  Lowenthal,  after 


Isidor  Loewenthal  317 

hearing  of  the  death  of  Dr.  Janvier,  wrote  to  his 
friend  in  England,  Major  H.  Conran,  whose  gen- 
erous gift  had  opened  the  way  for  the  beginning 
by  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  America  of  a 
Mission  to  the  Afghans,  *'  Strange  it  is  that  such 
an  eminent  and  useful  man  should  have  been  cut 
off  in  his  prime.  Why  was  not  I  taken  and  he 
spared  ?  "  But  the  end  of  life  for  him  also  was 
nearer  than  he  dreamed.  Dr.  Janvier  met  his 
death  on  the  24th  of  March.  On  the  night  of  the 
27th  of  the  following  April  Mr.  Loewenthal  was 
in  his  library  deeply  engrossed  in  study.  The 
hour  of  midnight  came,  but  it  passed  unheeded. 
An  hour  or  two  longer  his  fascinating  studies 
held  him,  then  pushing  aside  his  books,  he  walked 
out  into  the  cool  night  air,  as  was  his  custom 
before  seeking  his  couch.  He  was  in  his  own 
garden,  with  no  thought  of  danger.  There  was 
the  sharp  report  of  a  pistol,  and  Mr.  Loewenthal 
dropped  to  the  ground,  the  ball  having  pene- 
trated his  forehead.  He  had  been  shot  by  his 
own  watchman,  who,  it  was  said,  took  his  master 
for  a  robber.  Thus  passed  away  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  men  that  India  has  ever  l<Tiown.  He 
had  spent  only  seven  years  in  Peshawar,  yet  in 
that  brief  period  he  had  made  himself  acquainted 
with  the  Pushtu,  and  had  translated  into  this 
difficult  language  the  whole  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, and  put  the  same  through  the  press.  He 
had  also  nearly  completed  a  Pushtu  dictionary. 
He  could  preach  with  facility  in  the  Pushtu,  Per- 


3i8    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

sian,  Hindustani  and  Arabic  languages.  It  has 
been  said  that  probably  no  other  foreigner  at  that 
time  in  India,  had  so  thorough  a  knowledge  of 
Asiatic  literature  and  so  intimate  an  acquaintance 
with  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people  of  the 
land  and  with  Oriental  politics  as  he.  He  had  a 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  religious  system  of  the 
people,  and  as  a  disputant  with  Mohammedans 
and  other  religionists  he  was  a  master.  His 
library,  which  filled  the  four  sides  of  his  study, 
the  higher  shelves  reached  by  a  ladder,  contained 
the  rarest  books  and  most  ancient  manuscripts  to 
be  found  in  any  private  library  in  India. 

He  enjoyed  the  friendship  of  men  of  the  high- 
est rank  in  both  the  civil  and  the  military  service 
in  India.  He  possessed  genius  in  the  truest 
sense.  His  versatility  was  marvellous,  he  having 
what  is  exceedingly  rare,  a  seemingly  equal  apti- 
tude for  all  branches  of  study,  excelling  in  what- 
ever he  undertook.  He  was  an  accomplished  mu- 
sician, mathematician,  metaphysician,  and  pre- 
eminently a  linguist.  As  a  philologist  he  stood 
in  the  front  rank.  He  conducted  a  large  corres- 
pondence and  was  a  valued  contributor  to  British 
and  American  quarterlies.  He  had  fine  conver- 
sational powers,  and  in  the  social  circle  was  a  de- 
lightful companion.  As  a  Christian  he  was  sin- 
cere, humble,  devout  and  zealous. 

After  the  death  of  Mr.  Loewenthal,  Major 
Conran  did  not  lose  interest  in  his  "  pet  project  " 
of  opening  the  way  for  a  mission  into  Afghanis- 


Isidor  Loewenthal  319 

tan.  He  put  aside  a  sum  of  money  for  this  pur- 
pose and  corresponded  with  the  Mission  Commit- 
tee in  New  York  in  reference  to  supplying  the 
place  of  the  fallen  missionary.  The  way  to  this 
did  not  seem  plain.  "  Feeling  my  strength  fail- 
ing," wrote  Major  Conran  to  a  friend  in  India, 
"  as  I  knew  not  the  day  of  my  death,  I  felt  the  re- 
sponsibility of  keeping  the  Lord's  money  idle, 
perhaps  to  fall  into  unworthy  hands,  and  made 
it  over  to  another  society." 

Afghanistan  still  remains  a  closed  land,  but  the 
wild  inhabitants  of  the  regions  beyond  Peshawar 
have  now  the  Gospel  in  their  own  language  and 
one  day  the  missionary  will  enter  in  "  to  plant 
the  Cross  and  teach  the  Book." 

Standing  beside  the  grave  in  the  beautiful  Eng- 
lish cemetery  in  Peshawar  where  rest  the  remains 
of  Isidor  Loewenthal,  and  looking  out  over  the 
hills  surrounding  the  valley  and  beyond  which  he 
so  longed  to  penetrate,  we  have  thought  that  per- 
haps God  has  now  revealed  to  him  the  reason 
why  he  was  held  back  from  entering  Afghanistan 
with  the  Gospel. 

While  not  yielding  to  a  feeling  of  impatience 
because  there  are  yet  lands  closed  to  the  heralds 
of  the  Cross,  let  us  unite  in  the  prayer  contained 
in  the  old  Church  litany  of  the  Moravians, — 
"  Keep  our  doors  open  among  the  heathen,  and 
open  those  that  are  shut." 


XIII 

SAMUEL  HENRY  KELLOGG 

1 864- 1 899 

Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  was  a  child  of  the 
manse,  a  son  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Kellogg,  a 
Presbyterian  minister.  His  mother's  maiden  name 
was  Mary  P.  Henry.  He  was  born  at  Quiogue, 
Suffolk  Co.,  Long  Island,  September  6th,  1839. 
At  a  very  early  age  the  boy  evinced  surprising 
mental  activity.  A  veritable  interrogation  point, 
the  precocious  child  asked  questions  which  it  was 
difficult  to  answer.  No  priggish  boy  was  he,  but 
remarkable  for  docility  and  studiousness,  and  at 
the  same  time  full  of  active  interest  in  all  the 
amusements  and  sports  for  which  wide-awake 
boyhood  is  distinguished. 

When  quite  young,  he  had  a  dangerous  illness. 
All  hope  of  recovery  had  been  relinquished,  and 
around  the  couch  on  which  the  unconscious  boy 
was  lying,  the  sorrowing  friends  were  gathered  in 
anticipation  of  the  end.  A  devout  woman,  a  mem- 
ber of  his  father's  congregation,  gave  herself  to 
prayer  for  the  recovery  of  the  child.  "  God  has 
320 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  321 

granted  my  petition,"  she  said  at  length.  "  The 
boy  will  live,  and  will  yet  preach  the  Gospel." 

He  was  prepared  for  college  chiefly  by  his  par- 
ents, his  mother,  energetic  and  efficient,  taking  no 
small  part  in  guiding  and  aiding  her  apt  scholar 
in  his  home  studies.  This  son  when  grown  to 
manhood  told  with  affectionate  pride  of  the  les- 
sons in  Latin  given  him  by  his  mother  as  she 
went  about  her  household  avocations,  while  he 
followed  her  book  in  hand. 

In  1856  he  became  a  student  of  Williams  Col- 
lege, but  ill  health  compelled  him  to  leave  college 
after  spending  one  session  there.  Two  years 
later  he  entered  Princeton  College  and  graduated 
with  honours  in  1861. 

One  of  his  classmates,  the  Rev.  W.  J.  P.  Mor- 
rison, a  missionary  at  Dehra,  India,  in  an  address 
delivered  at  the  Memorial  Service  held  in  Lan- 
dour,  August  i8th,  1899,  said,  "  Of  the  one  hun- 
dred members  of  the  class  of  1861  in  Princeton 
College,  there  were  two  young  men  who,  by  the 
award  of  the  Professors,  and  the  judgment  of  the 
students,  took  easily  the  first  rank  among  us  in 
scholarship,  mental  power  and  character.  *  *  * 
Though  they  were  rivals  for  college  honours,  yet 
theirs  was  an  honourable  rivalry,  which  rather 
cemented  than  interfered  with  the  intimacy  of 
their  friendships.  These  were  Samuel  H.  Kellogg 
and  Samuel  S.  Mitchell." 

When  he  entered  Princeton  College  his  sim- 
plicity in  dress,  his  unassuming  manners,  retiring 


322     Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

disposition,  and  deeply  religious  character,  ex- 
cited the  ridicule  of  some  of  his  fellow-students ; 
but  as  he  without  ostentation,  by  unremitting 
diligence  and  vigour  of  intellect,  made  his  way 
to  the  head  of  his  classes,  and  carried  off  the 
prizes,  he  commanded  the  respect,  and  won  the 
admiration  of  all. 

The  year  of  his  graduation  was  the  year  of  his 
mother's  death,  and  her  loss  was  deeply  felt  by 
this  affectionate  son. 

He  pursued  his  theological  studies  in  Princeton, 
completing  his  course  in  1864.  Two  years  before, 
he  had  been  appointed  tutor  of  mathematics  in 
the  college,  "  and  had  he  not  sacrificed  brilliant 
prospects  at  home  in  order  that  he  might  give  his 
life  to  India,  he  would  no  doubt  have  soon  been 
called  to  a  Professor's  chair." 

From  his  childhood  he  had  been  a  diligent  stu- 
dent of  the  Scriptures,  nor  were  these  studies  in- 
terrupted by  his  engrossing  college  duties.  While 
a  student  he  pubHshed  a  tract  entitled  "  A  Living 
Christ."  This  expressed  what  Christ  was  to  him 
then  and  all  through  his  life. 

In  the  quiet  manse  where  his  boyhood  was 
spent  he  became  familiar  with  the  missionary 
publications  of  his  own  and  other  Churches.  His 
thoughts  were  turned  definitely  to  missionary 
work  as  a  vocation,  and  to  India  as  a  field  of 
labour,  through  a  sermon  preached  in  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Princeton,  by  the  Rev. 
Henry  M.  Scudder,  D.D.,  on  the  eve  of  his  re- 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  2^^^ 

turn  to  India.  Could  the  brilliant  young  phy- 
sician, Dr.  John  Scudder,  the  father  of  Dr.  Henry 
M.  Scudder,  when  in  1819  he  reliquished  pros- 
pects in  all  respects  the  most  flattering,  for  a  mis- 
sionary career  in  India,  have  looked  forward  to 
that  day  when  a  sermon  from  his  own  dis- 
tinguished missionary  son  would  be  used  by  God 
in  calling  to  India  a  man  chosen  of  the  Lord  to 
do  a  great  work  for  Him,  how  would  his  heart 
have  been  rejoiced ! 

On  the  20th  of  April,  1864,  Mr.  Kellogg  was 
ordained  a  missionary  to  India  by  the  Presbytery 
of  Hudson.  Before  leaving  America  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Antoinette  W.  Hart- 
well,  of  Montrose,  Pa.  In  company  with  several 
other  missionaries  the  young  couple  sailed  from 
Boston  on  the  20th  of  the  following  December, 
in  a  merchant  vessel  bearing  a  cargo  of  ice  to 
Ceylon.  On  the  third  day  out  they  were  struck 
by  a  cyclone,  in  which  their  Christian  captain  was 
washed  overboard,  and  the  ship  barely  escaped 
foundering.  The  loss  of  the  captain  placed  an 
officer  in  command  who  was  soon  found  to  be  en- 
tirely unfitted  for  such  a  charge.  On  account  of 
his  ignorance  of  the  art  of  seamanship,  and  his 
brutality,  a  plot  was  laid  by  the  crew  to  rid 
themselves  of  him  as  a  commander.  Happily 
this  was  discovered  and  suppressed.  As  a  last 
resort  in  a  dire  extremity,  the  new  commander, 
having  accidentally  discovered  that  Mr.  Kellogg 
had  studied  navigation  to  some  purpose,  asked 


324     Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

him  to  take  the  daily  observations,  doubtless  feel- 
ing that  the  vessel  would  be  safer  in  the  hands 
of  the  young  missionary  than  in  his  own.  Thus 
in  less  than  a  week  after  leaving  Boston  Mr.  Kel- 
logg found  himself  in  charge  of  the  nautical  li- 
brary and  instruments  of  the  late  captain.  He 
took  the  necessary  daily  observations,  and  acted 
as  navigator  until  they  reached  Ceylon,  not  in 
one  hundred  days  as  they  had  hoped  to  do  on  leav- 
ing Boston  but  in  one  hundred  and  forty-five  days. 
They  had  made  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  in  fifty 
days,  but  the  nominal  commander,  in  opposition 
to  the  urgent  representations  of  Mr.  Kellogg,  as 
to  the  course  which  ought  to  be  taken,  took  a 
course  which  greatly  lengthened  the  voyage. 

They  reached  Calcutta  in  May,  one  of  the  hot- 
test months  of  the  year  in  India,  and  the  journey 
to  their  field  of  labour  in  the  Northwest  Provinces 
was,  in  consequence,  most  trying.  On  their  ar- 
rival in  Barhpur,*  a  station  of  the  Furrukhabad 
Mission,  to  which  they  had  been  appointed,  Mr. 
Kellogg  gave  himself  with  all  the  ardour  of  his 
nature  to  those  studies  which  would  fit  him  for 
the  work  awaiting  him. 

Because  of  the  paucity  of  labourers,  he  was  soon 
left  in  sole  charge  of  the  work,  assisted  by  a  small 
staflf  of  Hindustani  helpers.  "  It  was  hard  at 
first,''  he  wrote,   "  but  had  the  good   result  of 

*  Barhpur  is  situated  one  mile  from  the  city  of  Furruk- 
habad, and  three  miles  from  the  military  cantonment  of 
Fatehgarh. 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  325 

bringing  me  on  in  the  language  much  faster  than 
I  should  otherwise  have  learned  it." 

After  a  residence  of  six  months  in  India,  Mr. 
Kellogg  began  to  take  his  turn  regularly  in  con- 
ducting the  vernacular  church  services  on  the 
Sabbath.  Work  for  his  active  brain  and  hand  he 
found  on  every  side,  and  unflinchingly  he  tried  to 
grapple  with  it.  Greatly  interested  in  the  youths 
of  India,  he  found  a  congenial  field  in  the  Anglo- 
vernacular  school  in  the  city  of  Furrukhabad.  He 
was  much  interested  also  in  evangelistic  work,  as 
carried  on  in  the  city  and  surrounding  villages. 
During  that  first  year  he  began  to  make  notes  on 
the  language  he  was  studying,  which  rapidly 
grew  into  an  important  work  hereafter  to  be  men- 
tioned. 

The  writer  first  met  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
in  the  cold  season  of  1870-71,  when  in  company 
with  her  husband,  she  paid  a  visit  to  Fatehgarh, 
and  then  began  that  acquaintance  which  after- 
w^ard  ripened  into  one  of  the  warmest  friendships 
of  our  Indian  life.  An  interesting  reminiscence 
of  that  visit  is  in  connection  with  a  typical  inci- 
dent, showing  Mr.  Kellogg's  alertness  of  mind, 
and  his  habit  of  painstaking  in  turning  to  account 
every  particle  of  knowledge  which  came  in  his 
way.  In  the  course  of  a  drive  with  him  through 
the  city  he  halted  to  speak  to  a  native  gentleman 
of  his  acquaintance.  When  the  interview  was 
over,  Mr.  Kellogg  took  from  a  side-pocket  of  his 
coat  a  book  and  pencil,  and  quickly  jotted  down 


2^6     Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

something  which  he  wished  to  remember,  then 
looking  up  with  a  radiant  face,  he  said,  "  1  have 
got  a  new  word." 

So  zealous  and  unremitting  were  Mr.  Kellogg's 
labours,  that  early  in  1871  his  health  failed,  and 
heeding  the  advice  of  his  physician  he  returned 
to  America  for  a  season  of  rest  and  recuperation. 
After  a  year  and  a  half  spent  in  the  United  States, 
with  his  family  and  a  party  of  missionaries,  he 
left  New  York  on  his  return  to  India.  This  sec- 
ond journey,  by  the  "overland  route,"  was  in 
pleasant  and  striking  contrast  with  his  memor- 
able first  voyage  in  a  sailing  vessel,  "  where  pas- 
sengers were  of  less  consequence  than  freight." 

The  party  reached  Allahabad  in  time  to  be  pres- 
ent at  the  General  Missionary  Conference  held  in 
that  city  in  December.  The  one  hundred  and 
sixty  missionaries  present  on  this  occasion,  some 
of  whom  had  come  from  the  remotest  parts  of 
India,  represented  nineteen  missionary  Societies. 
Noble  veterans  from  these  Societies  were  pres- 
ent, including  among  others  Dr.  John  Wilson  of 
Bombay.  "  We  thought,"  wrote  Mr.  Kellogg, 
*'  as  we  looked  over  that  unique  assembly  of  for- 
eign missionaries,  native  evangelists,  pastors  and 
laymen,  of  Carey,  Marshman  and  Ward,  and  of 
Judson,  forbidden  by  a  Christian  Government  to 
enter  India.  We  looked  on  the  dark  faces  of  the 
twenty-one  native  clergymen  present,  and  thought 
of  Henry  Martyn,  who  had  worked  in  this  very 
part  of  India,  and  who  had  said  that  if  he  could 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  327 

see  a  Brahman  converted,  he  would  regard  it 
as  the  greatest  miracle  of  which  he  could  con- 
ceive; and  here  were  once  proud  Brahmans 
preaching  the  faith  which  once  they  destroyed." 

Soon  after  the  close  of  this  Conference,  Mr. 
Kellogg  in  company  with  the  oldest  member  of 
the  Mission,  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Ullmann,  made  a 
long  preaching  tour,  the  remotest  place  reached 
being  the  city  of  Jhansi,  which  these  brethren  had 
been  asked  to  visit,  with  the  object  of  reporting 
upon  the  advisabiHty,  or  otherwise,  of  its  being 
occupied  by  the  mission  as  one  of  its  stations. 
The  report  of  the  visitors  was  favourable,  but  it 
was  not  until  thirteen  years  later  that  Jhansi  be- 
came one  of  the  stations  of  the  Furrukhabad 
Mission,  and  a  missionary  was  sent  there  to  re- 
side. To  the  close  of  his  life,  Mr.  Kellogg  felt 
a  very  deep  interest  in  this  new  field,  watching 
with  ever  increasing  satisfaction  its  growth  and 
prosperity. 

Mr.  Kellogg  after  his  return  to  India  was  sta- 
tioned at  Allahabad,  where  the  American  Pres- 
byterian Synod  of  India  had  recently  established 
a  Theological  School,  he  having  been  appointed 
an  instructor,  along  with  his  fellow  missionaries, 
the  Rev.  A.  Brodhead,  D.D.,  and  the  Rev.  T. 
S.  Wynkoop.  His  labour  in  connection  with  this 
institution  was,  however,  but  a  part  of  his  work. 
He  engaged  as  he  had  opportunity  in  evangelistic 
work  in  the  city  and  adjacent  villages,  in  preach- 
ing in  the  vernacular  to  the  native  Christian  con- 


3^8     Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

gregations,  and  in  occasional  English  preaching. 
His  pen  too  was  busy.  It  was  the  careful  hus- 
banding of  the  odd  moments  of  his  every  day  life, 
combined  with  the  ability  to  concentrate  his  pow- 
ers upon  any  subject  that  was  occupying  his  mind, 
that  enabled  him  to  accomplish  such  a  vast 
amount  of  literary  work  in  the  midst  of  other 
multitudinous  and  pressing  duties. 

The  year  1876  brought  to  Mr.  Kellogg  a  heavy 
domestic  affliction.  In  March  of  this  year  after  a 
very  brief  illness  Mrs.  Kellogg  was  taken  away 
by  death.  She  had  been  a  true  helpmeet  to  her 
husband  during  the  years  he  had  spent  in  mis- 
sionary work,  and  her  sudden  removal  was  to 
him  a  very  heavy  stroke.  Four  children,  two 
sons  and  two  daughters  were  bereft  of  a  mother's 
care,  and  this,  in  his  case,  necessitated  the  break- 
ing up  of  his  home  in  India  and  the  relinquish- 
ment for  a  time  of  his  chosen  work.  Hurried 
preparations  were  made  for  the  sad  home-coming, 
and  with  heavy  hearts  we  saw  the  father  with 
his  motherless  little  ones  turn  away  from  India. 
Very  painful  on  account  of  the  work  laid  aside, 
as  well  as  on  account  of  personal  associations  with 
beloved  fellow  workers  was  the  void  in  the  mis- 
sion circle  which  this  bereavement  and  this  part- 
ing occasioned. 

Before  Mr.  Kellogg  took  his  departure  from 
India,  he  saw  the  completion  of  his  great  work, 
— his  Grammar  of  the  Hindi  Language,  a  portly 
octavo  volume  published  by  Triibner  &  Co.,  of 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  329 

London.  That  this  work  might  be  finished  be- 
fore he  left  India,  he  was  obliged  to  put  forth 
strenuous  effort  at  a  time  when  his  energies  in 
many  directions  were  pressingly  demanded.  Hindi 
is  the  language  spoken  by  more  than  one-fourth 
of  the  people  of  India,  and  the  need  of  a  scholarly 
and  comprehensive  grammar  of  this  language  was 
great.  The  work  at  once  received  the  highest 
encomiums  from  scholars,  who  pronounced  it  a 
"  masterly  performance."  The  reputation  which 
this  work  and  others  which  followed  it  secured 
for  the  author  gave  him  an  honoured  place  in  the 
Eighth  International  Congress  of  Orientalists, 
held  in  Stockholm  in  1889,  under  the  Presidency 
of  King  Oscar  II.  This  Hindi  Grammar  on  be- 
coming known  to  the  Government  of  India,  and 
to  the  Council  of  the  British  Government's  Secre- 
tary of  State  for  India,  was  prescribed  as  an  au- 
thority to  be  studied  by  all  such  candidates  for 
the  India  Civil  Service  as  were  required  to  pass 
examinations  in  the  Hindi  language. 

It  was  during  this  year  that  his  Alma  Mater 
conferred  on  him  the  honourary  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity. 

The  story  of  the  next  fifteen  years  might  well 
be  told  in  fuller  detail  than  is  possible  or  per- 
haps appropriate  in  this  volume.  It  was  a  story 
of  pastoral  work  in  two  large  churches;  the  Third 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Pittsburg,  and  the  St. 
James  Square  Presbyterian  Church  in  Toronto, 
separated  by  a  service  of  peculiar  value  to  the 


2^0    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

Church  at  large  as  Professor  of  Systematic  Theol- 
ogy in  the  Presbyterian  Theological  Seminary 
at  Allegheny,  Pa.  This  was  a  somewhat  trying 
position,  following  as  it  did  the  peculiarly  suc- 
cessful work  of  the  Rev.  A.  A.  Hodge,  D.D.,  who 
had  been  called  to  Princeton  Theological  Semi- 
nary. Dr.  Kellogg  however  took  the  place  by 
storm  and  soon  sat  on  the  Professorial  chair  as 
on  a  throne. 

His  breadth  and  accuracy  of  scholarship,  his 
philosophical  insight  into  the  Scriptures,  and 
readiness  in  quoting  passages  to  prove  his  points, 
his  aptness  in  asking  questions  and  his  cleverness 
in  answering  them,  his  patience  and  sympathy  and 
tact  in  preaching,  his  missionary  zeal,  his  loyalty 
and  beautiful  spirit,  and  his  ardent  devotion  to 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  quickly  won  his  way  into 
the  minds  and  hearts  of  his  students,  and  made 
him  master  of  the  situation.  He  had  in  a  rare 
degree  that  highest  gift  of  a  teacher,  contagion. 
His  spirit  was  catching,  subtle  emanations  radi- 
ated from  him  that  no  student  could  escape. 
Simply  to  be  in  his  class-room  was  to  be  immersed 
in  an  intellectual  bath.  At  the  same  time  his 
faith  was  the  central  fire  glowing  in  his  heart, 
lighting  up  his  face  and  shining  through  the  whole 
man.  Hundreds  of  ministers  are  preaching  the 
Gospel  all  over  the  world  to-day  who  look  back 
to  those  years  under  his  influence  as  a  very  pre- 
cious and  fruitful  part  of  this  preparation.  With 
all  this  too,  there  was  a    geniality    and    perfect 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  331 

naturalness  that  at  times  manifested  itself  in  what 
some  of  his  associates  felt  to  be  a  lack  of  dignity. 
He  was  young  in  spirit,  and  it  was  this  fact  that 
lent  to  his  manners  a  special  charm  and  gave  him 
so  powerful  an  influence  over  all  classes  of  peo- 
ple, young  and  old. 

While  disassociated  formally  from  the  Board 
of  Missions  by  a  resignation  which  was  inevitable 
under  the  circumstances,  Dr.  Kellogg  never  lost 
in  the  slightest,  his  intense  missionary  spirit,  and 
both  in  his  preaching,  public  speaking  and  writ- 
ing identified  hmself  with  the  great  work  to  which 
he  had  consecrated  his  life.  He  was  a  member, 
during  his  residence  in  Toronto,  of  the  Canadian 
Presbyterian  Assembly's  Foreign  Mission  Com- 
mittee and  Convener  of  the  Committee  on  the 
Palestinian  Mission. 

He  kept  up  his  scholarship  in  Oriental  lan- 
guages and  it  was  during  this  period  that  he  at- 
tended, as  an  honoured  member  the  Eighth  In- 
ternational Congress  of  Orientalists  at  Stockholm, 
one  of  the  largest  and  most  influential  meetings 
of  that  body  and  saw  the  revised  edition  of  his 
Hindi  Grammar  through  the  press. 

He  was  always  very  much  interested  in  work 
among  the  Jews  and  published  a  book,  "  The 
Jews,  or  Prediction  and  Fulfilment,  an  Argument 
for  the  Times  ''  which  gained  most  favourable 
notice.  Another  work,  "  The  Light  of  Asia  and 
the  Light  of  the  World  "  appeared  in  1885  and 
was  pronounced  "  critical,  scholarly  and  brilliant." 


22"^     Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

A  competent  critic  said  of  it  that  there  v/as  no 
other  book  in  the  English  language  which  filled 
exactly  its  place  as  a  thoroughly  comprehensive 
and  clearly  discriminating  comparison  of  the 
legend,  doctrines  and  ethics  of  Buddha  and  of 
Christ. 

His  service  in  the  Theological  Seminary  in 
Allegheny,  closed  in  1885,  the  immediate  occasion 
being  a  feeling  on  the  part  of  some  of  the  Direc- 
tors that  his  pronounced  pre^millennial  views  were 
not  in  harmony  with  the  general  teachings  of  the 
Institution.  There  was  a  most  cordial  feeling 
toward  Dr.  Kellogg  personally,  and  his  resigna- 
tion was  in  no  sense  pressed  upon  him  but  was 
offered  as  on  the  whole  the  best  way  to  avoid 
any  possibility  of  clashing.  His  interest  in  edu- 
cation was  continued  after  his  removal  to  Toronto, 
by  his  membership  in  The  Senate  and  Examin- 
ing Committee  of  Knox  Divinity  College. 

From  year  to  year  it  seemed  as  if  his  duties 
increased.  He  prepared  the  Stone  lectures  for 
Princeton  Theological  Seminary,  was  prominent 
in  the  General  Assembly's  work  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Canada,  and  at  the  same  time 
published  largely.  All  this  was  made  possible  by 
the  happy  home  which  had  been  reestablished  by 
his  marriage  in  1879  ^^  Miss  Sara  Constance 
Macrum,  of  Pittsburg.  The  deep  sorrow  over 
the  loss  of  his  son  Alfred,  did  not  prevent  his 
work,  but  rather  sanctified  it. 

In  the  midst  of  his  multitudinous  activities  Dr. 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  233 

Kellogg  received  a  call  to  return  to  India  to  assist 
in  the  revision,  or  rather  retranslation,  of  the 
Hindi  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament.  He  was 
asked  to  engage  in  this  work  as  a  representative 
of  the  various  Presbyterian  Societies,  British  and 
American,  working  in  India.  In  this  invitation 
the  North  India  Bible  Society  with  headquarters 
at  Allahabad,  and  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society,  London,  as  well  as  his  own  mission  in 
India,  and  the  Mission  Board  of  his  own  Church 
in  New  York,  united.  It  was  felt  that  he  had 
special  qualifications  for  this  work,  as  he  was  uni- 
versally recognised  as  an  expert  in  Hindi,  and 
was  besides  an  accomplished  Hebrew  scholar. 

Correspondence  and  negotiations  in  reference 
to  this  matter  extended  over  a  period  of  fifteen 
months.  This  call  was  one  that  required  earnest 
consideration.  There  was  on  the  one  hand,  his 
work  in  Toronto.  It  would  be  a  severe  wrench 
to  leave  his  congregation  composed  of  people  who 
were  devotedly  attached  to  him ;  but  the  work  to 
which  he  was  called  across  the  seas  was  in  every 
way  attractive  and  congenial,  and  when,  as  he 
had  often  said  while  labouring  at  home,  his  heart 
was  in  India,  is  it  any  wonder  that  his  heart  went 
out  again  towards  a  work  which  was  his  first 
love?  The  call  he  felt  was  the  call  of  God,  and 
when  the  path  of  duty  was  made  clear,  there  was 
no  hesitation  as  to  the  course  of  action. 

In  May,  1892,  he  announced  to  his  congrega- 
tion his  decision  to  resign  the  pastorate  of  the 


334     Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

St.  James  Square  Church  to  accept  the  call  that 
had  come  to  him  from  India.  The  congregation 
regretfully  united  with  the  Presbytery  in  asking 
for  a  dissolution  of  the  pastoral  relation.  On 
Sabbath  evening,  September  13th,  Dr.  Kellogg 
preached  his  farewell  sermon  before  a  very  large 
audience,  including  many  representatives  from 
sister  congregations  in  the  city.  "  Thou  shalt  re- 
member all  the  way  which  the  Lord  thy  God  led 
thee,"  Deut.  8 : 2,  was  the  text  of  his  discourse. 
The  Tuesday  evening  following,  there  was  a 
largely  attended  farewell  meeting  in  the  church, 
to  testify  to  the  high  appreciation  in  which  the 
retiring  pastor  was  held.  There  were  present  on 
this  occasion  not  only  his  own  people,  but  many 
others  from  evangelical  denominations  through- 
out the  city.  Addresses  were  presented  on  be- 
half of  the  congregation,  the  Sunday  school  and 
the  Society  of  Christian  Endeavour.  Practical 
interest  and  appreciation  were  manifested  by  the 
presentation  of  a  substantial  purse.  On  the  fol- 
lowing evening  Dr.  Kellogg  took  a  final  farewell 
of  his  people,  and  soon  thereafter  left  Toronto. 

Before  leaving  for  India  Dr.  Kellogg  paid  a 
visit  to  Pittsburg,  where  he  was  warmly  welcomed 
by  the  many  friends  who  held  him  in  affectionate 
remembrance.  He  preached  a  farewell  sermon 
in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  the  congrega- 
tions of  the  East  Liberty,  and  the  Third  Presby- 
terian Churches  uniting  in  this  service. 
^).^  On  the  5th  of  October,  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Kellogg 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  23S 

and  their  four  younger  children  left  New  York 
for  India.  Bombay  was  reached  about  the  middle 
of  December.  A  part  of  the  cold  season  after  his 
arrival  was  spent  by  Dr.  Kellogg,  accompanied 
by  his  family,  in  evangelistic  work  in  the  district 
of  Allahabad.  Early  in  the  spring  he  removed 
with  his  family  to  Landour,  in  the  northern  Hima- 
layas, and  there  with  his  associates,  the  Rev.  W. 
Hooper,  D.D.,  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society, 
and  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Lambert  of  the  London  Mis- 
sionary Society,  he  began  the  work  for  which  he 
had  been  called  to  India.  A  station  in  the  moun- 
tains had  been  selected  for  residence  during  the 
summer,  because  the  work  of  translation  could 
be  more  successfully  prosecuted  in  the  salubrious 
air  of  the  hills,  than  in  the  great  heat  of  the 
plains,  and  as  it  was  expected  that  the  work  would 
extend  over  a  period  of  several  years,  a  house 
on  Landour  Hill,  Mussoorie,  called  "  The  Firs  " 
was  purchased  by  the  Mission  Board  in  New  York 
for  the  use  of  Dr.  Kellogg  and  his  family,  and 
here  several  of  the  happiest  and  most  useful  years 
of  Dr.  Kellogg's  life  were  spent.  Seven  or  eight 
months  of  each  year  were  passed  in  Landour,  and 
during  the  remaining  months  the  home  of  the 
family  was  in  Dehra  Doon,  a  beautiful  town  at 
the  foot  of  the  mountains. 

As  respite  from  his  special  work  could  be 
gained  in  the  cold  season,  the  opportunity  was 
eagerly  seized  by  Dr.  Kellogg  to  visit  cities  on 
the  plains  for  the  purpose  of  delivering  lectures 


2^6     Men  of  Might  In  India  Missions 

to  students  in  theological  schools,  or  to  educated 
non-Christian  natives ;  or  to  engage,  as  of  old,  in 
evangelising  the  simple  villagers,  in  some  one  of 
the  districts.  In  evangelistic  work  of  this  latter 
description,  a  month  was  once  spent  most  hap- 
pily by  Dr.  Kellogg  in  the  Jhansi  district;  and 
during  the  same  visit,  the  English  speaking 
gentlemen  of  the  Hindu  community  in  Jhansi 
were  privileged  to  listen  to  a  number  of  highly 
instructive  lectures  on  religio-scientific  subjects. 
As  a  preacher,  either  in  English  or  in  Hindus- 
tani, Dr.  Kellogg  was  Hstened  to  with  delight 
wherever  he  went.  During  the  six  hot  seasons 
which  he  spent  on  the  hills,  his  voice  was  fre- 
quently heard  from  the  pulpits  of  Landour  and 
Mussoorie,  and  during  the  successive  intervals 
when  he  resided  at  Dehra  Doon,  the  English  and 
Hindustani  churches  of  the  mission  were  privi- 
leged to  enjoy  occasionally  his  ministrations. 
When  Dr.  Kellogg's  rare  power  of  elucidating  the 
more  difficult  subjects  connected  with  the  study 
of  the  Bible  became  known,  exceptional  oppor- 
tunities were  afforded  him  for  reaching  and  in- 
fluencing for  good  many  in  the  English  commu- 
nity who  would  never  be  seen  at  ordinary  prayer 
meetings  or  Bible  readings.  At  large  drawing- 
room  gatherings  Dr.  Kellogg  discussed  many  sub- 
jects connected  with  Apologetics,  which  were, 
says  the  Rev.  W.  J.  P.  Morrison,  of  Dehra  Doon, 
"  calculated  to  be  helpful  to  those  who  have  in- 
tellectual   difficulties   through   the   scientific  and 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  337 

agnostic  objections  raised  against  our  Christian 
faith.  While  holding  firmly  himself  to  the  veri- 
ties of  revelation,  he  had  patience  and  sympathy 
to  the  uttermost  with  the  doubting,  and,  granting 
to  the  full  all  their  reasonable  positions,  from 
their  own  standpoint  endeavoured  to  lead  their 
minds  on  to  the  firmer  ground  of  assured  belief." 
Eschatological  themes  had  a  great  attraction  for 
Dr.  Kellogg's  mind,  and  upon  these  he  was  often 
asked  to  discourse.  Of  such  discourses,  fre- 
quently listened  to  at  Mussoorie  and  Dehra  Doon, 
Mr.  Morrison  thus  speaks :  "  Is  it  not  his  dis- 
course, his  theme  that  will  account  for  Dr.  Kel- 
logg's uplifting,  helpful  influence  in  those  com- 
munities? So  anxious  were  people  to  hear  him 
on  these  themes,  that  he  several  times  expressed 
to  me  a  regret  that  they  pressed  him  to  take  up 
such  subjects  so  often,  lest  it  might  give  a  one- 
sidedness  to  his  ministry,  and  lest  they  should  be 
regarded  as  a  hobby  with  him.  It  was  these 
themes  especially  that  made  his  ministry  such  a 
rare  one  amongst  us." 

Dr.  Kellogg  had  felt  that  when  the  special  work 
for  which  he  had  been  called  to  India  should  be 
finished  he  must  return  to  America  to  make  ar- 
rangements for  the  completion  of  the  education 
of  his  children,  but  as  the  time  for  leaving  the 
mission  field  drew  nearer  and  nearer,  his  heart 
more  and  more  clung  to  India.  In  his  last  letter 
to  one  of  the  Secretaries  at  the  Mission  House 
in  New  York,  he  wrote :    ''  There  is  no  shadow 


22^     Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

on  our  horizon  except  the  prospect  of  having  to 
return  to  America  as  soon  as  this  Bible  work  is 
done.  My  wife  no  less  than  myself  has  taken 
root  in  India,  and  we  shall  go  home,  wishing  from 
our  hearts,  so  far  as  it  is  right  to  wish  for  any- 
thing which  God's  Providence  makes  impossible, 
that  our  life-work  might  indeed  be  here.  *  *  * 
You  will  have  heard  that  I  have  promised  the 
Princeton  faculty  to  deliver  the  annual  course  of 
lectures  on  Missions,  the  first  season  after  my 
return.  I  am  as  yet  only  incubating  my  lectures, 
but  think  of  taking  some  such  general  subject  as 
Hinduism  in  relation  to  Christian  thought,  with 
special  reference  to  the  more  recent  developments, 
such  as  the  Arya  Samaj  and  Brahmoism  in  its 
various  schools,  dwelling  more  in  contrast  with 
my  little  book  ("A  Hand-book  of  Comparative 
Religion  "),  on  the  points  of  contact,  than  of  con- 
trast. In  connection  with  the  work  of  revising 
the  Hindi  translation  of  the  Old  Testament  Scrip- 
tures, I  am  writing  a  small  book  in  Urdu  for  the 
help  of  our  theological  students,  and  our  native 
pastors,  on  the  Typology  of  the  Mosaic  Law  as 
setting  forth  various  aspects  of  our  Lord's  re- 
demption work." 

Near  the  end  of  March,  1899,  Dr.  Kellogg  was 
our  guest  while  in  attendance  on  a  meeting  of 
Presbytery,  held  in  Jhansi.  "  I  had  not  thought 
to  come  to  this  meeting,"  he  said,  "  but  reflecting 
on  the  few  opportunities  that  remain  to  me  for 
meeting  my  missionary  brethren,  both  American 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  339 

and  Hindustani,  before  going  home,  I  resolved 
to  make  an  effort  to  be  present."  At  this  meet- 
ing one  of  his  former  students  in  Allahabad  re- 
ceived ordination  at  the  hands  of  the  Presbytery, 
an  event  in  which  he  felt  a  deep  interest  and 
much  satisfaction.  Never  had  we  seen  Dr.  Kel- 
logg in  a  happier  mood  than  on  this  occasion. 
He  had  a  short  time  before  received  a  copy  of  his 
latest  published  work,  "  A  Hand-book  of  Com- 
parative Religion,"  and  in  his  leisure  moments 
he  turned  the  pages  of  this  book,  pencil  in  hand, 
noting  changes  to  be  made  in  a  future  edition. 

Dr.  Kellogg  had  anticipated  that  his  Bible 
translation  work  would  be  finished  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1899,  and  that  the  work  of  final  revision 
would  be  completed  in  the  following  cold  season ; 
and  with  this  consummation  so  near  at  hand,  he 
was  arranging  to  return  to  America  with  his 
family  in  the  spring  of  1900.  But  God  in  His 
unerring  wisdom  had  other  plans  for  His  servant. 
On  Sabbath  evening,  April  30,  the  last  Sabbath 
of  his  earthly  life.  Dr.  Kellogg  preached  by  in- 
vitation in  the  Methodist  church  of  Mussoorie,  a 
sermon  from  the  words,  "  Neither  shall  they  die 
any  more."  Said  one  of  his  auditors  on  this  oc- 
casion, "  It  was  the  most  glorious  sermon  on 
death  and  eternal  life  to  which  I  ever  listened. 
The  speaker  looked  like  one  speaking  from  the 
eternities." 

For  many  years  at  the  house  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Valentine   in   Landour,   a   weekly   Bible-reading 


340    Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

has  been  held  during  the  summer,  when  visitors 
flock  to  this  station.  Dr.  Kellogg  was  asked  to 
give  the  Bible-reading  on  the  afternoon  of  Wed- 
nesday, May  third.  He  replied  that  it  would  be 
impossible  for  him  to  be  present  on  that  day,  but 
if  the  meeting  could  be  held  on  Tuesday  after- 
noon instead,  he  would  be  glad  to  come.  Tues- 
day was  accordingly  fixed  upon.  A  large  and 
expectant  audience  greeted  Dr.  Kellogg  when  he 
appeared  at  the  appointed  hour.  He  had  selected 
for  his  theme,  "  The  mysteries  and  glories  of  the 
end  of  time,  and  the  great  hereafter."  His 
hearers  sat  spellbound,  for  he  spoke  as  if  for  him 
the  heavens  had  already  been  opened,  and  he 
caught  glimpses  of  the  glories  beyond.  On  the 
conclusion  of  the  discourse,  all  present  seemed 
awed,  and  at  the  request  of  Dr.  Kellogg,  the 
hymn  with  which  the  meeting  ended  was,  "  Jeru- 
salem the  golden." 

Before  leaving  the  house,  Dr.  Kellogg,  with 
two  or  three  of  the  company,  retired  to  Dr.  Valen- 
tine's study  for  a  short  season  of  prayer.  As 
they  were  about  to  separate  some  one  remarked 
that  Mr.  Lambert,  one  of  Dr.  Kellogg's  associates 
in  the  work  of  Bible  revision  was  that  night  quite 
ill.  "  Then  I  will  call  and  see  him  on  my  way 
home,"  was  the  reply  of  Dr.  Kellogg.  He  made 
a  brief  call,  and  then  hurried  on  to  his  own  home, 
that  dear  home  which  was  to  be  his  for  only  one 
more  night, — a  night,  and  then  for  him  the  morn- 
ing of  a  glorious  eternity  was  to  dawn. 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  341 

Dr.  Kellogg  enjoyed  bicycling,  and  he  was  an 
expert  rider.  His  physician  had  recommended 
this  exercise,  and  he  had  found  it  beneficial.  A 
terrace  on  which  the  house  he  occupied  in  Lan- 
dour  is  built  afforded  room  for  a  short  course, 
and  here  he  used  frequently  to  take  exercise  from 
which  he  came  in  refreshed  and  ready  for  his 
literary  work.  He  had  risen  early  on  this  last 
morning  of  his  earthly  Hfe,  and  after  taking  his 
usual  refection  of  toast  and  coffee,  mounted  his 
wheel  for  a  little  exercise  before  beginning  the 
heavy  work  of  the  day.  He  had  gone  but  a  few 
rods,  when  the  wheel  swerved,  where  there  is  an 
unguarded  fall  of  about  twelve  feet— and  he  was 
not,  for  God  took  him.  How  the  accident  oc- 
curred will  never  be  known.  No  one  saw  that 
fatal  fall.  The  servants  heard  the  sound  and 
rushed  to  his  assistance,  but  life  had  departed. 

The  news  of  his  tragic  death  sent  a  shock 
through  the  entire  community,  and  a  message 
which  that  day  flashed  over  North  India,  and 
under  the  seas  to  a  distant  land,  carried  sorrow 
to  many  hearts.  A  large  company  of  friends  as- 
sembled at  ''  The  Firs  "  on  the  afternoon  of  the 
following  day  for  a  brief  service,  and  then  joined 
the  sorrowful  procession  to  the  beautiful  ceme- 
tery on  the  mountain  side  not  far  distant,  where 
the  mortal  remains  were  laid  to  rest,  "  Until  the 
day  break,  and  the  shadows  flee  away." 

As    the   company    with    heavy    hearts    turned 
away  from  that  new  made  grave,  one  of  the  num- 


342     Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

ber  said  to  a  companion,  ''  Dr.  Kellogg  knew  his 
Bible  well."  "  Dr.  Kellogg  knew  everything 
well,"  was  the  rejoinder  of  one  of  Dr.  Kellogg's 
English  friends. 

One  of  his  fellow  missionaries,  the  Rev.  C.  A. 
R.  Janvier,  of  Allahabad,  wrote  thus  of  Dr.  Kel- 
logg in  the  ''  Indian  Standard."  '*  The  first 
thing,  perhaps,  that  would  strike  one  about  Dr. 
Kellogg  was  the  versatility  of  his  genius:  he 
could  turn  his  hand  successfully  to  almost  any- 
thing— could  preach  a  sermon  or  take  a  photo- 
graph, deliver  a  lecture  or  prescribe  a  potion, 
teach  theology  or  steer  a  ship !  He  was  informed 
on  almost  every  conceivable  subject,  and  could 
talk  intelligently  on  the  most  technical  topics.  It 
was  this  in  part  that  made  him  so  brilliant  a  con- 
versationalist, and  secured  the  wonderful  richness 
of  illustration  which  was  so  marked  a  feature  of 
his  sermons.  But  unlike  most  versatile  men,  he 
was  as  thorough  and  accurate  as  he  was  versa- 
tile. He  was  never  superficial.  What  he  did,  he 
did  well.  What  he  knew,  he  knew  thoroughly. 
His  careful  observation,  quick  apprehension,  and 
remarkable  memory,  combined  to  make  him  al- 
most a  specialist  in  every  department  of  work  or 
of  recreation  upon  which  he  entered. 

"  Another  striking  feature  of  Dr.  Kellogg*s 
character  was  the  clearness  of  his  mental  vision, 
and  his  ability  to  pass  on  to  others  what  he  him- 
self clearly  perceived.  He  saw  to  the  centre  of 
things,  and  he  reproduced  what  he  saw  with  a 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  343 

directness  and  incisiveness  not  often  surpassed. 
He  was  as  simple  as  he  was  incisive.  He  was 
simple  in  his  language,  even  when  the  profound 
subjects  he  often  presented  seemed  to  forbid  sim- 
plicity. He  was  simple  and  unpretentious  in  his 
personal  character.  He  was  never  over-bearing, 
rarely  sarcastic,  never  ostentatious.  No  one 
would  ever  have  guessed  his  extraordinary  abili- 
ties from  anything  in  his  general  bearing.  He 
was  a  devoted  husband,  a  loving  father,  and  a 
faithful  friend. 

"  The  greatest  thing  about  Dr.  Kellogg  undoubt- 
edly was  his  wonderful  knowledge  of,  and  love 
for  his  Bible.  He  was  a  man  of  the  Book.  His 
insight  into  its  meaning  was  phenomenal,  and  his 
ability  to  present  its  truths  to  others  was  such  as 
few  men  attain.  He  mastered  principles  and  de- 
tails alike  in  his  Bible  study.  And  it  was  not  sim- 
ply an  intellectual  mastery :  he  was  clearly  taught 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  He  was  not  naturally  an 
emotional  man,  but  God's  truth  and  God's  Spirit 
stirred  his  deepest  emotions;  and  many  a  heart 
has  thrilled,  as  he  set  forth  in  his  simple,  quiet 
way  the  deep  things  of  God.  Any  reference  to 
his  study  of  the  Bible  would  be  wholly  incom- 
plete without  an  allusion  to  his  intense  convic- 
tions on  the  subject  of  the  second  coming  of  our 
Lord.  He  was  a  consistent  Premillenarian,  con- 
fidently expecting  the  personal  reign  of  Christ  on 
earth,  though  deprecating  all  attempts  to  fix  the 
time  of  the  advent.'* 


344     Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

In  the  church  of  St.  James  Square,  Toronto, 
where  for  six  years  Dr.  Kellogg  had  been  pastor, 
when  the  news  of  his  death  reached  the  congre- 
gation, they  set  aside  a  popular  children's  service, 
for  which  elaborate  preparations  had  been  made, 
draped  the  church  in  mourning,  and  held  a  me- 
morial service  instead.  In  resolutions  passed  by 
the  session  of  this  church  they  say  of  Dr.  Kellogg, 
"  Although  only  a  little  more  than  six  years  a 
resident  of  Toronto,  he  speedily  secured  for  him- 
self a  position  of  unusual  influence  throughout 
Ontario,  and  far  beyond  it,  as  the  result  of  his 
wide  and  varied  scholarship,  and  by  means  of  his 
numerous  and  valuable  contributions  to  theologi- 
cal literature.  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that 
during  his  ministry  in  St.  James  Square  Church 
the  membership  increased  from  503  to  704,  and 
that  all  departments  of  the  congregation's  activity 
enjoyed  abundant  prosperity." 

From  Resolutions  passed  in  reference  to  his 
death  by  the  Foreign  Missions  Committee  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Canada,  the  following  is 
taken :  "  Affable  in  manner,  ripe  in  scholarship, 
distinguished  as  an  author,  self  forgetting  in  serv- 
ice, and  unwearied  in  diligence,  Dr.  Kellogg  will 
always  be  remembered  with  affection  by  those 
who  were  his  colleagues  and  co-workers  in  the 
Foreign  Missions  Committee  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Canada." 

The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  of  his  own 
Church  in  America,  as  well  as  his  own  Mission 


Samuel  Henry  Kellogg  345 

in  India  passed  Resolutions  expressive  of  the  high 
estimation  in  which  he  had  been  held,  and  of  the 
irreparable  loss  sustained  by  his  death. 

Dr.  Kellogg  was  the  recipient  of  well-deserved, 
but  unsought  honours.  Wooster  University  con- 
ferred on  him  the  honourary  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Laws.  He  was  corresponding  member  of  the 
American  Society  of  Orientalists.  He  was  made 
a  member  of  the  International  Congress  of 
Orientalists,  and  of  the  Victoria  Institute  of 
England. 

When  Dr.  Kellogg  was  removed  by  death  the 
question  arose,  How  now  shall  the  work  be  con- 
tinued? Can  the  two  remaining  members  of  the 
committee  complete  the  work,  or  shall  a  third 
member  be  elected  ?  To  introduce  a  new  element 
at  this  stage  of  the  work  did  not  seem  advisable, 
and  it  was  finally  decided  that  Dr.  Hooper  and 
Mr.  Lambert  would  be  competent  to  carry  on  the 
work  more  satisfactorily  than  if  a  third  member 
should  be  added  to  the  Committee,  especially  as  it 
was  found  that  Dr.  Kellogg  had  left  very  full 
notes.  In  reference  to  the  course  decided  upon, 
it  was  afterwards  said :  "  Day  by  day  we  are 
more  and  more  thankful  that  such  a  decision  was 
reached.  As  things  now  are,  Dr.  Kellogg  is,  so 
to  speak,  present  with  us  all  through  our  meet- 
ings. We  can  truly  say  that  he  being  dead  yet 
speaketh.  On  almost  every  question  which  arises 
we  are  pretty  sure  what  his  view  would  be. 
When  we  differ  between  ourselves,  and  we  recall 


34^     Men  of  Might  in  India  Missions 

n  what  would  have  been  Dr.  Kellogg's  view,  the 
one  whose  opinion  differs  from  this  gives  way  at 
once.  In  this  manner  his  influence  in  our  Com- 
mittee survives." 

Dr.  Kellogg  was  taken  away  when  his  life  was 
at  its  zenith.  Counted  by  years,  his  was  not  a 
long  life,  yet  marvellously  fruitful  had  that  life 
been.  Though  his  missionary  work  in  India  was 
interrupted  for  a  number  of  years,  yet  his  work 
as  a  missionary  did  not  cease  during  that  en- 
forced sojourn  in  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
for  then,  while  occupying  high  places  in  the 
Church  he  exerted  a  powerful  influence  in  promot- 
ing the  cause  of  foreign  missions.  As  a  theologi- 
cal teacher,  besides  performing  an  important  part 
in  equipping  many  young  men  for  the  home  pul- 
pits and  the  home  mission  work,  he  shared,  it  is 
said,  in  the  training  of  no  less  than  thirty-six 
missionaries  for  the  foreign  field.  How  many 
through  the  influence  of  his  life  and  words  were 
led  to  accept  Christ  as  their  Saviour,  and  to  de- 
vote themselves  to  the  service  of  their  Lord  in 
various  walks  of  life,  eternity  'alone  will  reveal. 


INDEX 


A.  B.  C.  F.  M.,  founding  Bombay,  University  of,  206 


of,  130 
Abdul,  Masih,  113 
Abolition  of  Suttee,  91 
Afghans,  The,  303 
Allahabad,  School  at,  327 
Anderson,  John, 


British   and   Foreign   Bible 

Society,  134 
Braidwood,  Rev.  John,  249, 

262 
Braidwood,    Mrs.,   249, 

her  schools.  252 
birth,    240;    early    home   Broadhead.  Rev.  A.,  327 
life,    241 ;    studies,    242 ;    Brown,  Rev.  David,   105 
consults  Dr.  Gordon,  243 ;  Breithaupt,  Dr.,  15 
licensed   to  preach,   244; 

influenced    by    Dr.    Duff,   Caldwell,       Rev.       Robert, 
243;    appointed  to  Mad-       quoted,  249 
ras,    244;     sails    on    the   Campbell        and        Blyth, 
"  Scotia  ",   244 ;    St.   An-       Messrs.,   262 
drew's  School,  245 ;  train-   Carey,  William, 
ing  Hindu  boys,  246 ;  vis-       birthplace,    66 ;     appren 


ited  by  Dr.  Duff,  248; 
yearning  for  souls,  250, 
251 ;  discouragements, 
251 ;  gleams  of  hope,  252; 
marriage,  256 ;  visits 
Scotland,  259 ;  returns 
to  India,  260;  breaking 
up,  263;  death,  264;  tes- 
timonies to  his  worth, 
264-265 
See  also :   291 

Banner]  ee.     Rev.     Krishna 

M.,  229 
Bardwell,     Rev.     H.,     138, 

140 
Bengali     New     Testament, 

80 
Bethune  Society,  The,  236 
Bie,  Col.,  65,  83 
Bloomfield,  Sir  T.,  271 


ticed  to  shoemaker,  66; 
early  studies,  66;  first 
sermon.  67;  marriage, 
67;  treatise  on  missions, 
69;  sermon  at  Notting- 
ham, 69;  sails  for  India, 
72;  works  in  indigo  fac- 
tory, 'J2, ;  saw  widow  burn- 
ed alive.  74;  translates 
New  Testament,  80;  ap- 
pointed to  College  at 
Fort  William,  82;  Paper 
on  Female  Immolation, 
84 ;_  made  Doctor  of  Di- 
vinity, 85;  second  mar- 
riage, 85;  translator  to 
government,  90 ;  death, 
94 

See  also:    104,   105,   132, 
i73»  219,  326 
Chalmers,  Dr.,  216,  232 


347 


348 


Index 


Church  Missionary  Society, 
152,    156,    163,   226,    289, 
300,  301 
Conjeveram,  school  at,    248 
Corrie,  Chaplain,  113 

Danish    settlement    in    In- 
dia, 17,  18,  20,  104 

"  Disruption ",     The,     253, 

^254 

Doveton  College,  236 

Duff,  Alexander, 
birth,  214;  parents,  214; 
education,  215;  licensed 
to  preach,  216;  ordained 
216;  marriage,  216;  goes 
to  India,  216;  ship- 
wrecked, 216;  in  a  cy- 
clone, 218;  settles  at 
Calcutta,  219;  visits  Dr. 
Carey,  219;  school  work, 
220;  reverses,  223;  con- 
verts, 223;  jungle  fever, 
224;  visits  ^  Scotland, 
225 ;  his  missionary  ad- 
dresses, 226;  return  to 
India,  228;  joins  Free 
Church,  230 ;  beginning 
over  again,  231 ;  returns 
to  Scotland  to  succeed 
Dr.  Chalmers,  232 ; 
Moderator  of  Free 
Church  Assembly,  233 ; 
visits  America,  233 ;  final 
return  to  India,  235; 
return  to  Scotland,  237; 
last  illness  and  death, 
239 

See   also:    94,    201,   240, 
243,  248,  259,  291 

Edwardes,      Sir     Herbert, 

300 
Elphinstone,  Lord,  207 


Educators,  Famous,  22,  78, 

79,   80,   81,   84,   89,  140, 

154,    159,    174,    175,  200, 

204,    205,    211,    219,  221, 

228,    231,    236,    245,  247, 

252,    253,    256,    277,  279, 

281,    283,    285,    301,  313, 

Fox,  Rev.  W.  H.,  274.  277, 

280 
Frost,  Rev.  E.,  143 
Fuller,  Rev.  Andrew,  dT,  68, 

70,  87 

German    Evangelical    Mis- 
sion, The,  164 

Gordon,  Dr.,  243 

Green,  Byron,  125 

Grundler,     Johann     Ernst, 
27; 

succeeds  Ziegenbalg,  35; 
death  of,  36 

Hall,  Gordon, 
birth,  127;  early  traits, 
127;  education,  128;  at 
Hanover,  128;  pastor  at 
Woodbury,  Conn.,  129 ; 
studies  medicine,  131 ;  or- 
dained a  missionary,  132; 
sails  for  India,  132; 
preaching  in  Bombay, 
137;  translating  gospels, 
139;  marriage,  139;  work 
among  the  Jews,  140; 
evangelistic  tour,  141 ; 
sends  family  to  America, 
142 ;  last  missionary 
tour,  145;  dies  of  chol- 
era, 146 
See  also:    125,  197 

Hall,  Newell  and,  131,  133, 
135,  137,  144 

Havelock,  Sir  Henry,  95 


Index 


349 


Haystack     Meeting,     The, 

125 
Haystack  Monument,  126 
Hooper,  Rev.  W.,  335 
Hough,  Rev.  J..  156 
Hurricane,  A  fatal,  285 

India,  Danish  Settlement 
in,  17 

Janvier,  Dr.  Levi,  assassi- 
nated, 316 

Jerusalem  Church,  The,  22 

Johnson,  Rev.  Robt.,  247, 
263 

Judson,  Adonirani,  126,  132, 
326 

Kellogg,  Samuel  Henry, 
birth,  320 ;  precocious- 
ness,  320;  student  life, 
321 ;  ordination,  323 ; 
marriage,  323 ;  voyage  to 
India,  323;  arrival  at 
Bahrpur,  324 ;  visits 
America,  326;  at  Allaha- 
bad, 327;  wife's  death, 
328;  publishes  "Hindi 
Grammar  ",  328 ;  pastor- 
ates in  America,  329; 
at  Toronto,  331 ;  lectures 
at  Princeton,  332 ;  returns 
to  India,  3:  ;. ;  at  Landour, 
335 ;  more  new  books, 
338;  hi::  tragic  death, 
341 ;  testimonials  of 
friends,  3/?;  "Resolu- 
tions", 344;  other  hon- 
ors, 345 ;  influence,  346 

Ketterin^^-,  famous  meeting 
at,  69,  70 

Lambert,  Rev.  J.  A.,  335 
Leper  Hospital  at  Calcutta, 

88 
Leyden,  Dr.,  306 


Locher,  Miss,  261 

Lodiana,  mission  at,  307 

Loewenthal.  Isidor, 

early  poverty,  292,  293; 
education,  293;  business 
life,  294;  a  political  ref- 
ugee, 294 ;  teaching  in 
Philadelphia,  295 ;  Mr. 
Gayley's  aid,  296 ;  conver- 
sion, 297;  goes  to  India, 
298;  at  Peshawar,  299; 
long  illness,  309;  preach- 
ing at  Pushtu  311;  trans- 
lating the  Scriptures, 
313;  services  in  English, 
316;  shot  by  his  own 
watchman,  317 

Loomis,  Harvey,  125 

Mack,  Mr.  John,  89,  96 

Mahabeleshwar,  mission  at, 
142,  197 

Malcolm,  Sir.  John,  115 

Marshman,  Joshua, 
birthplace.  66,  76;  early 
employment,  'j(\ ;  mar- 
riage, Tj;  goes  to  India, 
']'J ;  opens  boarding- 
schools,  78 ;  translates 
Scriptures  into  Chinese, 
83 ;  publishes  "  Friend  oi 
India",  87;  visits  Eng- 
land, 91 ;  death,  96 
See  also :    132,  326 

Masulipatam,     mission     at, 
274 

Martyn,  Henry, 
birthplace,  97 ;  _ education, 
98;  ^  conversion,  99; 
"senior  wrangler",  100; 
made  army  chaplain,  102; 
ordained,  102;  sails  for 
India,  103;  arrives  at 
Calcutta,  104;  visits  Dr. 
Carey,  104;  appointed  to 
Dinapore,  106;    translat- 


350 


Index 


ing  the   Scriptures,   109;  Palamcotta,  mission  at,  302 

at  Cawnpore,  iii;  returns  Palmer,  Rev.  H.,  268 

to    Calcutta,    115;     visits  Peshawar,  mission  at,  302 

Bombay,  115;  visits  Per-  Plutschau,  Henry,   18,  25 

sia,   116;  completes  Per-  Pohle,  Rev.  Christian,  51 
sian      New      Testament, 

118;     at    Constantinople,  Rammohun,  Roy,  219,  220 

120 ;    death,    121 ;    monu-  Rhenius,  Rev.  C.  T.  E., 
ment,   123  birth,    151;    studies,    151; 

See  also:    195,  326  goes  to  India,  152;  settle- 

Martyn  Memorial  Hall,  123  ment  in  Madras,  152 ;  re- 
Mills,  Samuel  J.,  125  vising  Tamil  Scriptures, 
Mitchell,  Rev.  M.,  200  153 ;  removes  to  Tinnevel- 
Mitchell,  Samuel  S.,  321  ly,  156;  care  of  the  poor, 
Morrison,   Rev.   W.   J.   P.,       160;  death,  165 

321,  336  See  also:    189,  192 

Munro,  Gen.,  52  Richards,  James,  125 

Meeting    at    Meerut,    The,  Robbins,  Francis  L.,  125 

305 

Schultze,  Benjamin,  36 

Nepean,  Sir  Evan,  135,  136  Schwartz,    Christian    Fred- 

Newell,    Samuel,    126,    135,  erick, 

138.  141  birth,  39;  early  education, 
Newell   and  Hall,   Messrs.,  40;    visits    England,    42; 
131,  133,  135,  I37»  144  sails  for  India,  43;  evan- 
New     Jerusalem     Church,  gelistic    tours,    45;     new 
The,  33,  37  mission  at  Trichinopoly, 
Noble,  Robert  T.,  46;   preaches  to   English 
parents,    266,    267;    early  soldiers,    48;    mission    to 
influences,      267;      birth,  Hyder  AH,  52;  as  a  re- 
268;    at  Cambridge,  270;  former,    59;    serious    ill- 
early  work  as  curate,  272 ;  ness,  60 ;   interview  with 
ordained,    272;    goes    to  Prince       Serfogee,       61; 
India,  274;  joins  Church  death,  62;  monument,  64 
Missionary  Society,  276;  See  also:  66,  78,  150,  155, 
goes    to    the    mountains,  156,  160,  189 
276;  a  working  day,  279;  Schools    for    Jewish    chil- 
the  "  High  School ",  281,  dren,  140  ^ 
282;     a    fatal    hurricane,  Scottish    Missionary    Soci- 
285 ;  last  years  and  death,  ety,  192 
287;  memorials,  288  Scriptures,    Famous    trans- 
Noble  College,  291  lators  of,   24,   29,  30,   4i» 
Nott,  Samuel,  126  78,   80,   83,   93,    109,    118, 

137,    141,    IS3,    164,    304 

Ouseley,  Sir  Gore,  119  308,  333 


Index 


3JI 


Scudder,  Henry  M.,  322 

Scudder,  John, 
birth,  167;  at  Princeton, 
168;  work  among  stu- 
dents, 169 ;  practices 
medicine,  169;  marriage, 
171;  sails  for  India,  172; 
assigned  to  Ceylon,  173; 
removed  to  Madras,  175; 
gospel  tours,  176;  his  he- 
roic wife,  179;  visit  to 
America,  180 ;  missionary 
addresses.  181 ;  returns  to 
India,  183;  tracts  and 
booklets,  184;  visits  Cape 
of  Good  Hope,  187;  his 
death,  188;  his  influence, 
189 
See  also:   323 

"  Serampore  Brother- 

hood ",  The,  106 

Serampore  Missionaries, 
The,  65,  66,  78,  81,  82, 
96,  106,  133,  219,  307 

Serfogee,  Prince,  61,  63 

Sharkev.  Rev.  and  Mrs., 
280 

Simeon,  Rev.  C,  99,  loi, 
213,  214,  227,  273 

Society  for  Promoting 
Christian  Knowledge,  28, 
46,  63 

Stewart,  Dr.,  quoted,  240 

Tanjore,  famine  at.  56,  57 
Thomas,  Mr.  J.,  71,  79,  81 
Translators    of    Scriptures, 

24,  29,  30,  41,  78,  80,  83, 

93,  109.  118,  137,  141,  153, 

164,  306.  308,  333 
Trevelyan,  Sir  Chas.,  283 
Trichinopoly,     Mission    at, 

46 
Tullar,  Rev.  A.,  68,  70,  87 
Tweedale,  Marquis  of,  253 


Ullman.  Rev.  J.  R,  204 
University  of  Bombay,  206 
Urquhart,  John,  215 

Valentine,  Rev.  Dr.,  339 

Ward.  William, 

birthplace,  75 ;  edits 
"  Derby  Mercury  ",  75  ; 
becomes  a  missionary, 
76 ;  book  on  "  Religion  of 
the  Hindus",  84;  visits 
England,  88;  death,  90 
See  also:    132,  326 

Wilson,  John, 
birth,  190 ;  education, 
191 ;  ordination,  193 ; 
marriage,  193 :  voyage  to 
India,  193 ;  work  at  Bom- 
bay, 194;  as  an  author, 
196 ;  missionary  tours, 
197;  Mrs.  Wilson's  death, 
198;  "The  Parsi  Relig- 
ion ",  200 ;  visits  Scot- 
land, 202 ;  "  Lands  of  the 
Bible  ",  203 ;  second  mar- 
riage, 203;  return  to  In- 
dia, 203 ;  reorganizing 
schools,  204;  "The  Sup- 
pression of  Infanticide  ", 
205;  University  of  Bom- 
bay. 206;  visited  by  Dr. 
Livingstone,  209 ;  loses 
second  wife,  209;  revisits 
Scotland,  210;  last  re- 
turn to  India,  211;  death, 
211 
See  also:    228,  291,  326 

Wynkoop,  Rev.  T.  S.,  327 

Winslow,  Rev.  Myron,  175 

Wolff,  Rev.  J.,  160 

Zenana  Mission,  A..  284 
Ziegenbalg.  Bartholemew. 
birth,     13;     studies,    16; 


352  Index 

first  voyage  to  India,  i8;  interview  with  King,  31; 

early  difficulties,  20;  visits  preaches        to        Danish 

Tanjore  and  Negapatam,  troops,  32;  returns  to  In- 

23 ;  translates  ,  Scriptures  dia,       32 ;       evangelistic 

into  Tamil,  24;  arrested,  tours,  33,  34;  illness  and 

25;  visits  Madras,  28;  re-  death,  34 

turns    to    Denmark,    30;  See  also:   78,  178,  189 


Date  Due 


